Show Crossword 11 Classifieds 13 c Weather diseases are killing tomatoes The Herald Journal Logan Utah Monday July 27 1998 By Mark Anderson Q VJ ony Spring couldn't make it thii to summer With all the sudden heat the flowers gardens and lawns have quickly reacted to its effects My com must have easily jumped a foot the last week and my flowen have started to hit their stride But not all of those reactions have been positive Now didn’t I tell you that once the wet weather subsided we’d all year-welco- me be betting for nun? Many lawns look dried and bunt and with all foe wind it's nearly impossible to keep plants watered Also I've had numerous calls and seen countless samples of dying tomatoes — some from diseases some from foe weather: How can you tell if it's a disease? Will the plants recover? I know I have broached these subjects before but a little friendly reminder never hurt anyone If your lawn looks a little brown and dry don't feel bad it looks just like everyone else's (except mine of course) Whether you want a green lush lawn or a brown dry one four simple steps can make all foe difference this time of year Be sure to set your mower to a higher setting-- a scalped lawn will bum much mote easily and loses more moisture than a tall one Water for longer periods of time not more often Water in the morning or evening not during the day Fertil- - lot has changed since Rachel Sealy was a girl but heir positive attitude remains as fresh as ever A (‘everyrix ft citf weeks works best) Take these four steps and you'll notice a huge difference in your lawn One problem spot I keep seeing around the valley Is sloped turf If you have lawn on a slope fort keeps burning up because the water just runs off of it instead of soaking in you might want to consider aerating The water must get down to the roots and aeration will provide a way for that moisture to penetrate hank sloped soil Also I can’t believe how the humate I used earlier this year has helped my turf hold the moisture better than last year Anything to help that water get to the root zone and stay there Before I describe foe dreaded diseases I want to emphasize prevention The best way to protect your vegetables and flowen from infectious diseases is to take good care iff them Fertilize and water properly A strong healthy plant can withstand diseases insects and weather changes better than a weakened one Verticillium and fusarium wilts regularly kill many tomato plants in the valley Often gardeners will mistake the diseases for water stress which causes similar symptoms (yellowing and wilted leaves mid leaf curl) However these wilts always affect older lower leaves first — they turn yellow dry up then fall off Tip leaves will also curl up at the margins but they still remain green The disease is caused by a fungus that remains in the soil indefinitely It enters a plant through foe roots infecting them then spreads into the stems and leaves Unfortunately there is no control available Pull up and bun or throw away the infected plants as soon as you notice any signs of the disease Do not compost them or till them back into the garden or you will be spreading the virus even more Also select and plant resistant varieties denoted with a letter “V" for verticillium and “F” for ftisari-u- m or just plant more plants than usual and if some die you’ll still have pinny This same disease will also affect eggplant potatoes raspberries and many other fruits and vegetables Curly top is another disease that can quickly devastate you tomatoes (it also affects beans potatoes and beetsk When infected foe leaves will yellow roll upward from the outer margins mid twist They will also feel tough and leathery becoming almost stiff and the leaf veins will turn purple Unlike verticillium and fusarium mils this disease is spread by an insect the beet leafhopper The insect will suck sap and virus from an infected plant and inject it into healthy (dams at its next feeding stop Controlling the leafhopper with See ANDERSON on Page Diana MuMhMHaraM Journal Cache Valley's senior citizen Rachel Sealy 105 going on 1 06 la Utah's fourth oldest person By Mika Ingraham (writer y the time Rachel Sealy got around to touring Europe “I was no spring chick- - en" So she claims But she was only 85 a spring chick com- --i- —j enough to appreciate foe apples in a Swiss orchard guess we did steal them didn't we?” she chuckles to her daughter Angela Bird "One of our neighbors used to say ‘Them’s the best apples leveret'" Forbidden fruit has its allure and age has its prerogatives As the nighbor might have said them's foe laws of nature So when under foe Eiffel Tower the van broke down — again — Mrs Sealy stayed seated with Sam Daines (drivers also nave their prerogatives) The pushing was left to foe other five female passengers Or did she push too? “My memory is slipping" she confesses and anyway it's been 20 years We were all spring chickens back then when you could tour Europe for nearly a month 1 centenarian at 105 years she would have been within her rights to say “fetch tne a glass of water'’ to Frank Griffin of Springville Griffin is only 104 At the party “she pitched right in" says Angela It's not ber fault the television cameras were asleep on the job ignoring her That’s TV’s loss for Mrs Sealy was looking good that day “She's a real lady” says her neighbor Lucille Zbinden from back on Canyon Road in Logan Mrs Sealy has always dressed the part always been beautifully turned out “Oh by foe way" she tells Angela “everybody likes foe dress you bought me Blue is my color" See RACHEL on Page IS !PREa fi k W The sombrero left was added to Rachel Seals 1 ) on $1500 “Imagine that Now it would cost $15000" Touring has gotten so expensive that maybe it's just as well Mrs Scaly travels are ended save for ber annual call on the governor July 16 she joined some of the state’s other 161 cento narians on the mansion lawn and had no complaints “It was planned pretty good and all that” she says but she’s being polite The fact was whoever planned the weather planned poorly The day was sweltering But not to worry — Mrs Sealy again had her prerogatives As the senior exten- sive collection of hats in 1915 (Sealy is on the left) Mrs Sealy hasn't stopped bymg on hats as the Halloween photo above attests She was 104 (Photos cour- 1 : a - i’i r ’ X s I tesy of Rachel Sealy) ' r It Tuesday Food: Biker cuisine IftOOR COPY Features: 11 V 752-212- 1 |