Monday, May 12, 2014

So, Where Can I Find A Nearby Willow Tree?

   This morning, while reading through my email, I found an article on helping tomatoes to stay healthy and give better yields.
   In case you haven't been following my latest tomato adventures, I have a couple of tomatoes planted on the balcony that are in containers. I also have at least one pepper plant, or, should I say, had one pepper plant.
   The first tomato plant planted on the balcony was big. The label got lost so it was either a German Lunchbox tomato, which is pink, or it was an Amish Paste tomato. I was going to be surprised to see which one the plant turns out to be.
  Well, I am still waiting, for, the plant, although it was growing well for a while, started having problems. The leaves on the bottom were turning brown and the plant doesn't seem to be growing. On top of that, the leaves looked like someone was eating at them. But whenever I checked, I didn't see anything on the plant. Seems like this same thing happened to a cherry tomato plant that grew from compost in my garden last year. Little by little, the plant disappeared.
  After contacting several different forums trying to find out whatever it was that was wrong with my tomato plant, and not finding any answers that seemed to be the ones that would solve my problem, I went out with a flashlight one night and there it was! A big dark colored caterpillar on my plant. Now we know the culprit.
Step #1 in identifying the problem. 
  I went out the next day and found some more caterpillars. I started checking the other tomato and pepper plants and a day later, the leaves were gone on these plants as well. Someone suggested using Diatomaceous Earth on them, so, even though it may be too late, I am dusting any pepper or tomato plants out there.
  One of the plants looks like its making a comeback. The big tomato plant isn't growing, but the top is still very green. I will nurture them back to health, if possible, or, I will just plant the seeds again and keep them scrumptiously clean.
  Now, back to the plants and their health and hopeful recovery. I read an article this morning on giving aspirin to tomatoes to help them be healthy and produce better fruit. Well, I don't have any plain aspirin in the house, but, I know that aspirin can be homemade, as well. So, with that in mind, I am looking for a way to make aspirin from willow tree branches. If I don't have a willow tree around here, I can actually order the extract from amazon.com .
   I have posted the url to article on giving aspirin to the tomato plants below:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2625661/Problems-growing-tomatoes-Feed-ASPIRIN-say-scientists-fight-disease-boost-yield.html
Here are some links to pages describing how to make aspirin from willow bark:
http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Aspirin-if-You're-Lost-in-the-Woods
http://home-remedies.wonderhowto.com/how-to/make-aspirin-from-willow-tree-0142525/
http://firstways.com/2011/04/12/how-to-make-willow-bark-medicine/
http://www.abovetopsecret.com/forum/thread984883/pg1
Also note: Someone told me that the willow tree used to make this medicine is not the Weeping Willow. I will have to ask my nursery or extension agency about what kind of willow tree is used for this.
Willow Tree. The bark is used to make aspirin by soaking
in water or alcohol. 

Tuesday, May 6, 2014

My Beautiful Tomato Plant

This is either a German Lunchbox tomato or an Amish paste. Notice though how the leaves seem to be being eaten by an invisible creature. If it continues there will be nothing left except the stalk. Bear with me while I try to identify the cause of this tomato illness.