Summer gardening

Summer can be challenging for gardeners, said Ron Wolford, a University of Illinois Extension horticulture educator.

While spring is easy with cool weather, no bugs, gentle rains and a few weeds, summer is a different story, with raging storms, heat, drought, waves of bugs and disease.

Wolford offered some tips to help gardeners deal with these challenges to cucumbers and tomatoes. He suggested covering cucumbers, melons, squash and pumpkins with floating row covers to protect them from cucumber beetles and the cucumber wilt caused by the bugs. Remove the row cover after the plants have begun flowering so they can be pollinated.

The base of tomato plants should be mulched with plastic sheets. This keeps the soil warmer, conserves moisture and helps protect the tomatoes from diseases spread by water splashing onto the soil. He added that some studies have shown that using red plastic mulch can actually increase the yield of tomato plants.

Blossom-end rot causes the blossom end of the tomato to turn brown and black. This is not a disease. It is a calcium deficiency caused by high temperatures and fluctuating soil moisture levels. To prevent this, he suggests watering tomatoes consistently with the equivalent of one inch of water per week to avoid fluctuating levels of soil moisture. Mulches will also help to conserve moisture.

Tomato cracking is caused by changes in growth rate. Last summer, the most likely cause of cracking was the fluctuations in temperature and the rain pattern. Giving the tomatoes the one inch of water they need each week will reduce the problem. There are also several crack-resistant varieties, such as Jetstar and Pink Girl.

Another common problem, tomato blossom drop is caused by high summer temperatures when daytime temperatures are above 90 degrees.

Blossoms also will drop earlier in the growing season when night temperatures drop below 55 degrees. For this problem, the only solution is to wait for cooler temperatures.

The highest-quality tomatoes develop when temperatures average 75 degrees. Tomatoes may get mushy and not color well when temperatures are above 90 degrees.

Another tip during hot weather is to pick tomatoes when they have a healthy pink color and let them ripen indoors.

With the recent salmonella outbreak related to tomatoes, some might be wondering whether this is the best year to grow them in their gardens.

Nancy Pollard of the University of Illinois Extension Service says the risk to homegrown tomatoes is no greater than any other year.

"We've had that question in our office," Pollard said. "We tell them there's no need to worry as long as they're washing all their fruits and vegetables."

Salmonella is caused by bacteria transmitted by animal feces. So as long as you are practicing common sanitary practices, garden tomatoes should be safe.

"There's no risk in your backyard unless your vegetables are coming into contact with raw manure or uncomposted manure."

For details, call University of Illinois Extension at (630) 955-1123 or visit www.extension.uiuc.edu/dupage.