This week we met twice, Wednesday with faculty sponsors, and Friday for field work. Flea beetles were observed in early July, and Surround WP was applied as a preventative and protective barrier against pest damage and infestation.
Pests have the potential to spread disease, damage plants, and decrease harvest yields.
The plants were trellised using the basket-weave method. Stakes were placed and string was reinforced at every four plants; then, twine was weaved at height ≥ 6 inches from the soil.
Resources
Nitzsche, Peter, et al. “The Stake and Weave Training System for Tomatoes in the Home Garden.” FS1102: The Stake and Weave Training System for Tomatoes in the Home Garden (Rutgers NJAES), Rutgers, New Jersey agriculture Experimentation, Aug. 2009, njaes.rutgers.edu/FS1102/.