Two problems are happening in tomatoes right now. One is leaf spot diseases whether early blight or Septoria (both are caused by fungi). Things to incorporate in your routine are to stake or use tomato cages to keep the plants off the ground improving air circulation. Keep the plants dry by watering at the base of the plants or water in the morning allowing plants to quickly dry off. Pinch and discard infected leaves. I have found covering the soil with mulch whether plastic or straw helps. Using a fungicide like Daconil on a routine to prevent the spore from infecting healthy leaves.
Leaf Spotting on Tomatoes
The other pest on tomatoes is the tomato hornworm. The large 3 to 4-inch worm is quite hungry and will quickly eat the ends of the plant. They emerge into the large Sphinx moth which does not harm anything. I found handpicking in early mornings (they eat and are visible during cooler temperatures) is the best control. You can use insecticide; however, they will still eat before dying. Some have found planting dill or marigolds with the tomatoes will help.
Tomato HornwormThe Sphinx moth (the adult form of the hornworm)
Tired of looking at that propane tank in your backyard?
The easiest way to hide it is to create a flowerbed around it. Use some stepping stones they can have room to refill it. Use easy-to-grow plants like daylilies, peonies, with some taller plants like castor beans or sunflowers to give the area a layered look.
Place potting containers around the propane tank. Use galvanized stock tanks that you painted. This gives your planting height and can be moved around for best effect.
Use a trellis to hide the tank leaving an area to get into it. Plant some annual or perennial vines in front and on the sides like clematis, hops, and runner beans. Just place the corner poles in a cement footing to stabilize the trellis.
If you do not want to go to the trouble in planting, just place an old fashioned picket fence up.
Whether you want an ugly fence covered or adding a focal point using vining plants.
My favorite vine for quickly covering a large fence is hops. It is a green vine without noticeable flowers, however, having cute papery hops. A perennial vine that dies back in the winter. There is a golden hops vine which has golden-green color.
Honeysuckle vine is a hardy plant coming in pink, red, and yellow flower colors. A favorite of hummingbirds. A perennial vine that does not require much water or good soils.
Clematis vines are the most popular vine. A perennial vine with varieties having almost any flower color you can imagine plus bi-colors. The rule of thumb is to keep the roots cool (shaded) and the tops in full sun although they do grow in the morning sun. You all have seen the old purple-flowered Jackman’s clematis.
Trumpet vine is a robust perennial plant with large orange or red trumpet-shaped flowers. The hardy vine grows up to 25 feet.
Bittersweet vine a woody perennial with orange-yellow fruit splitting revealing red berries. Growing up to 20 feet tall twining around its support.
Boston ivy is the vine that grows on brick walls. The leaves turn red in the fall. There is the English ivy which can damage walls. Prefers some shade.
The quick-growing perennial vine, the kiwi which should not be confused with the kiwi fruit you see in grocery stores. This vine produces grape-sized fruit with a male and female vine. It is for the tricolored foliage (green, red, and white) that you grow this vine. You can train this plant into a small tree.
Now for climbing roses and I am no expert. I got rid of most of my roses (actually the winters did it for me). In older books, they say to dig a trench and tip the plant in the trench and bury it, no way am I going to go to that back-breaking work. I remember my grandmother had roses growing up on the side of her home on Polk Street, so you can grow them. Just make sure you get hardy varieties and do not prune them in the fall as they bloom on old wood.
Lastly with the perennial vines is the Virginia Creeper or woodbine creeper. A very fast-growing vine for out of the way area growing up to 20 feet. It is invasive, so be ready to hack it back. Grows in sun or shade. The best part of the plant is the red to purple fall foliage.
Do not forget about the annual vines like morning glories, moon vine, sweet peas, Passion vine.
