Learn How To Troubleshoot Tomato Problems
June 20, 2010
There’s a reason why farmers and avid gardeners watch the weather so closely. Climatic conditions such as temperature, rainfall and humidity can greatly influence which disorders are likely to affect a crop.
Currently, conditions exist that are ideal for several tomato disorders. If you are growing tomato plants, be on the lookout for blossom-end rot and late blight.
A dark water-soaked area on the blossom end of the tomato may indicate a calcium deficiency
The uptake of calcium from the soil by the plant can be reduced by fluctuations in soil moisture – either excessively wet soil or excessively dry soil. Fluctuations in soil moisture may cause blossom-end rot.
Prevent blossom-end rot by maintaining a soil pH around 6.5 and uniform soil moisture by irrigating and mulching, and avoid heavy applications of nitrogen.
If you do experience blossom-end rot, spray the plant’s foliage with 2 level tablespoons of 96 percent calcium chloride in 1 gallon of water at seven to 10-day intervals. Several convenient “stop-rot” products are available at local garden centers. Begin spraying with the first appearance of symptoms. Overdosing plants with calcium chloride may result in leaf burn. Spray on cloudy days or wait until the sun is low.
Blossom-end rot
Blossom-end rot is a common problem on tomatoes but can also occur on peppers, squash, and watermelons. It is more common on fruit that is one-third to one-half grown, and it occurs on the blossom end of the fruit. It is not a disease but a calcium deficiency.
As the tomato develops, water moves rapidly into the developing fruit. However, calcium moves slowly in plants and even slower into the fruit. Calcium is an important component in plant cells and a lack of calcium will result in small, water-soaked spots that develop into dark brown, leathery spots that may involve half the fruit.
Late blight
Late blight is a disease caused by a fungus. It is best known as the disease that was responsible for the Irish potato famine in the mid-nineteenth century. It affects many plants in the Solanaceae family, including tomato, potato, pepper, and eggplant.
Since the pathogen does not survive in the soil, it usually enters the garden on infected transplants or live spores that are blown in with wind or rain. It spreads most rapidly during moderate temperatures (60° to 80°F) and high moisture conditions such as rain, fog, heavy dews or high relative humidity.
Recent climatic conditions have caused an outbreak of late blight in southeast Louisiana.
On tomato leaves, the symptoms of late blight initially consist of light brown to purplish spots that rapidly enlarge to purplish, blighted areas. Early in the morning and under wet conditions, a white growth of the fungus may be visible on the lower leaf surface. Stems may become infected, as well, with large purple to black sections that make stems look as if they were burned.
Several preventative and control measures are required.
- Scouting: regularly inspect your tomato plants and try to catch this disease as soon as possible to prevent its spread.
- Sanitation: eliminate infected plants as soon as the disease is identified.
- Applying fungicides: spray plants on a regular basis with fungicides such as chlorothalonil, mancozeb, copper or a combination of mancozeb plus copper. When using the mixture of mancozeb and copper, allow it to sit for about 30 minutes before spraying and stir it frequently. Chlorothalonil may be used up to and including the day of harvest, whereas mancozeb cannot be used within five days of harvest. Because these fungicides are protectants only, thorough spray coverage is essential for control.
With any luck, warmer weather will slow this disease but gardeners should keep an eye on their prized tomato plants.
For more information, contact Theresa Friday at 850-623-3868 or email tlfriday@ufl.edu. Friday is the Residential Horticulture Extension Agent for Santa Rosa County.
Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Atmore Man, 19, Killed In Old Atmore Road Crash
June 19, 2010
An Atmore man died and two others were injured in a single vehicle accident early Saturday morning on Old Atmore Road near Flomaton.
Alabama State Troopers said Emmanuel Markay Rivers, 19, was a passenger in the accident about about 3:30 a.m. about a half mile west of Tulip Street.
The driver of a Ford Crown Victoria, Cardarryl Delloyd Johnson, 21, was westbound on a straight stretch of Old Atmore Road when he lost control and flipped the vehicle over, according to AST. Johnson, 21, and another passenger, Trenetra Zakiya White, 19, were transported by ambulance to Atmore Community Hospital in serious condition.
Rivers, who state troopers said was not wearing a seat belt, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Johnson, the driver, said he had swerved to miss a deer. The Crown Victoria flipped twice before coming to rest on its roof, partially in the roadway.
The accident is still under investigation by Alabama State Troopers.
For a NorthEscambia.com photo gallery from the scene, click here. (Daytime photos in the gallery are courtesy Christine Stanton.)
The Flomaton Fire Department, Century Station of Escambia Fire Rescue, Escambia County (Fla.) EMS, Atmore Ambulance, Escambia County (Ala.) Sheriff’s Office, Escambia County (Fla.) Sheriff’s Office, LifeFlight and Alabama State Troopers responded to the crash.
Pictured above and below: Emmanuel Markay Rivers, 19, of Atmore, was pronounced dead at the scene of this single vehicle accident on Old Atmore Road near Flomaton about 3:30 a.m. Saturday. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge. Pictured inset: The vehicle after it was righted. Submitted photo by Christine Stanton for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Arrest No. 15: Ronald Newton Busted Again, Held Without Bond
June 19, 2010
Ronald Newton — the man arrested 15 times now in about the past year in Century — was arrested again Friday afternoon after a disturbance in Century. This time, he is being held without bond on the order of a judge.
Escambia County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to The Sandwich Deli in the 8000 block of North Century Boulevard about 3:45 p.m. after Newton was reported to be causing a disturbance inside the building. When deputies arrived moments later, Newton had fled the scene, but they found him a short distance away in the 8000 block of Blackmon Street. He was reportedly involved in an altercation at the Blackmon Street address.
Newton, 49, was charged with battery as well as being arrested on the judge’s order. It was his 15th arrest in Escambia County in just over a year.
On June 4 — the day after a NorthEscambia.com story about Newton’s 14th arrest — the State Attorney’s Office filed a motion to revoke Newton’s bond on a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and criminal mischief. The order revoking the bond was issued June 10 by Judge Joel Boles.
Escambia County court and jail records show the following arrests and charges for Newton:
April 11, 2007
- trespassing, charges dropped
August 14, 2007
- simple assault — 60 days in jail
- aggravated assault with deadly weapon — charges dropped
- criminal mischief under $1,000 — charges dropped
April 28, 2008
- driving while license suspended, first offense – charges dropped
- open container in vehicle – paid $123.50 fine
- expired registration – paid $73.50 fine
May 31, 2009
- battery — charges dropped
- criminal mischief — charges dropped
July 29, 2009
- driving while license suspended, second offense — fined $500, suspended 11 months, 30 days in jail
January 8, 2009
- battery — charges dropped, defendant “mentally defective”
September 1, 2009
- indecent exposure in public — dismissed due to incompetence
- lewd lascivious behavior victim under 18 — no action by prosecutor
- lewd lascivious behavior victim under 18 — no action by prosecutor
November 23, 2009
- criminal mischief under $1,000 — dismissed
January 1, 2010
- disorderly conduct — charges dropped
February 1, 2010
- battery — dismissed
March 23, 2010
- trespassing, case pending, pleaded not guilty, released on $500 bond
- disorderly conduct, case pending, pleaded not guilty, released on $500 bond
April 27, 2010
- trespassing, case pending, pleaded not guilty, released on $500 bond
- criminal mischief over $1,000 — case pending, released on $2,500 bond, pleaded not guilty
April 8, 2010
- littering under 15 pounds, fine and costs of $135 remains unpaid
May 7, 2010
- aggravated assault — case pending, released on $5,000 bond
May 19, 2010
- contempt of court
- criminal mischief
May 29, 2010
- trespassing
May 31, 2010
- battery
- criminal mischief
June 2, 2010
- violation of a court ordered injuction
- aggravated stalking
Qualifying Over For Escambia Candidates; Some Elected Without Opposition
June 19, 2010
Friday was the last day for candidates to qualify to run for office in Escambia County and Pensacola.
Candidates were required to file qualifying paperwork by noon on Friday for county and City of Pensacola offices. Qualifying for Town of Century offices will take place July 26-30.
The following candidates had qualified by deadline. Those listed without opposition will be elected to the office in which they qualified.
County Commissioner, District 2
Dave Murzin (Qualified 6/16/10)
Paul Redman (Qualified 6/18/10)
Myra L. Simmons (Qualified 6/17/10)
Karen Sindel (Qualified 6/17/10)
George Touart (Qualified 6/17/10)
Gene M. Valentino (Qualified 6/15/10)
County Commissioner, District 4
Dennis Green (Qualified 6/14/10)
Danny Lewis (Qualified 6/14/10)
Grover C. Robinson (Qualified 6/17/10)
School Board, District 1
Jeff Bergosh (Qualified 6/14/10)
Luke Keller (Qualified 6/16/10)
D. Hosea Pittman (Qualified 6/14/10)
School Board, District 2
Gerald W. Boone (Qualified 6/14/10)
Virginia R. White (Qualified 6/16/10)
School Board, District 3
Linda F. Moultrie (Qualified 6/14/10)
Charlie Nichols (Qualified 6/14/10)
ECUA, District 2
Lois Benson (Qualified 6/16/10)
Stephen Burand (Qualified 6/14/10)
Dave Carlson (Qualified 6/18/10)
James Kirkland (Qualified 6/17/10)
ECUA, District 4
Stuart H. Brown (Qualified 6/18/10)
Ryan M. Fendt (Qualified 6/17/10)
Dale Perkins (Qualified 6/16/10)
Scott Schroeder (Qualified 6/18/10)
Ronald Ward (Qualified 6/14/10)
Escambia Soil & Water Conservation District, Group 2
(none to date)
Escambia Soil & Water Conservation District, Group 4
Lynn L. Laird (Qualified 6/14/10)
Escambia Soil & Water Conservation District, Group 5
Dan Cain (Qualified 6/18/10)
Dillon Mason Powell (Qualified 6/17/10)
Santa Rosa Island Authority
Thomas Campanella (Qualified 6/14/10)
J.J. Waters (Qualified 6/18/10)
City of Pensacola
Mayor
Charles Bare (Qualified 6/17/10)
Ashton Hayward (Qualified 6/14/10)
Diane Mack (Qualified 6/14/10)
Mike Wiggins (Qualified 6/14/10)
City Council At-Large A
Megan Benson Pratt (Qualified 6/16/10)
City Council At-Large B
Sam Hall (Qualified 6/16/10)
City Council, District 1
Steve Fulford (Qualified 6/16/10)
P.C. Wu (Qualified 6/14/10)
City Council, District 2
Sherri Myers (Qualified 6/14/10)
Courtney B. Peterson (Qualified 6/14/10)
City Council, District 3
Maren Laycock DeWeese (Qualified 6/15/10)
City Council, District 4
Larry B. Johnson (Qualified 6/16/10)
City Council, District 5
John Jerralds (Qualified 6/17/10)
City Council, District 6
Jewel Cannada-Wynn (Qualified 6/15/10)
Brian Spencer (Qualified 6/17/10)
City Council, District 7
Ronald P. Townsend (Qualified 6/18/10)
Tri-County Falls To Niceville
June 19, 2010
Tri-County held a 3-2 lead over Niceville-National in the sixth inning in their recent All-Star tournament game in Chumuckla, but they were unable to hold on for the win. Niceville-National came back for an 8-3 win in the Florida District 1 Little League game.
Members of the Tri-County team are Trevor Flower, Haley Watson, Slater Nash, Nathan Archer, Blayne Miller, Seth Killam, Zac Blackmon, Avarie Jackson, and Tanner Macks.
Submitted photos by Tiana Ivey for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Escambia Wants Foreign Help Skimming Oil
June 19, 2010
Escambia County has joined the list of entities asking President Barack Obama to waive the Jones Act — a 90-year old law that was intended to shelter America’s maritime interests from foreign competition.
In essence, the Jones Act — known officially as the Merchant Marine Act of 1920 — states that cargo transported by water between U.S. Ports be transported on U.S. built, crewed and flagged ships.
That, critics say, is hampering the Gulf oil spill recovery by keeping vessels flagged in other counties from helping with the cleanup.
The Escambia County Commission has approved a resolution asking Obama to waive the act, allowing ships such as skimmers offered by the Netherlands.
U.S. Senator John McCain, R-Arizona, has called for Congress to repeal the act.
“This horrific disaster should provide many lessons for the Administration and Congress, including a reminder that the Jones Act should be repealed. Within a week of the explosion, 13 countries, including several European nations, offered assistance from vessels and crews with experience in removing oil spill debris,” McCain said within a week of the Deepwater Horizon explosion. “The Administration may grant a waiver to any vessel, just as the previous Administration did during Hurricane Katrina, so the international community could assist in recovery efforts, but has not done so.”
Two boats back up stern to stern allowing an oil skimmer to offload bags of oiled boom collected by the ship in the Gulf of Mexico. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Caleb Critchfield for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Blueberries Are Ready For Picking At North Escambia Farm
June 19, 2010
The blueberries are ripe for the picking this weekend at A & N Blueberries in Molino.
Sweet, plump, perfect-color blueberries are just $1 per pound at the u-pick farm that has become a North Escambia tradition.
“They are sweeter than the blueberries you find in the stores,” Sarah Miller of A & N Blueberries said. “Plus it is just a fun atmosphere to bring the family to pick. We even have some families that will bring a lunch and have a picnic.”
“I love blueberries. I love blueberry jam. Blueberries on toast, on bagels,” she said. “Blueberries are just good.”
The blueberry farm sits on about six acres, with rows and rows of trees nearly two decades old. Miller and her husband Eli purchased the farm from his grandparents last year. The blueberries are top quality, good enough that Apple Market and other stores in Pensacola sell A & N Blueberries.
Sarah said that now is the time to pick blueberries for the freezer, and freezing blueberries is easy.
“You go straight from the farm to the freezer; you don’t even wash them first,” she said. “You wash them after you take them out of the freezer.” She said blueberries frozen fresh from the farm can last for a few years in the freezer. Fresh blueberries, she said, will remain at peak quality for about five days.
The blueberry crop is expected to be available until about July 14. The farm also has watermelons, cantaloupes , squash and tomatoes ready now.
In addition to the u-pick blueberries for $1 per pound, A & N also offers pre-picked blueberries for $3 per pound, and fresh blueberry jam.
A & N Blueberries is located on Suncrest Lane, just off Sunshine Hill Road about a half mile north of Molino Road. Click here for a Google map. A & N Blueberries is open Monday-Saturday 7 a.m. until dark.
For more information and blueberry recipes, visit www.anblueberries.com.
Pictured middle: Sarah and Eli Miller with son John Parker Miller. Pictured top and below: Farm-fresh blueberries at A & N Blueberries in Molino. NorthEscambia.com and submitted photos, click to enlarge.
Passerby Finds Upside Vehicle On Highway 97; Driver Not Around
June 18, 2010
A passerby found a single vehicle rollover accident this morning on Highway 97 in Dogwood Park, but the driver was not around.
The Dodge Infiniti was found upside down Dodge Infiniti behind some bushes along Highway 97 near the southern end of White Ash Road about 5:40 a.m. When emergency workers arrived, they were unable to locate the driver.
The accident had obviously happened some time before it was discovered; the engine and exhaust were cool.
The driver of the Infiniti was apparently northbound on Highway 97 when they lost control, slide sideways off the road and overturned.
The Molino Station of Escambia Fire Rescue and the Florida Highway Patrol responded to the crash. The accident is still under investigation by the FHP.
Pictured above: The driver of this car had left the scene of this Dogwood Park crash some period of time before the wreck was discovered. Pictured below: Firefighters check the interior of the vehicle. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Deputies Crack Down On Hwy 97, Hwy 29 Speeders During Traffic Blitz
June 18, 2010
One after another, Escambia deputies stopped speeders on Highway 97 in Walnut Hill and Highway 29 in Century Thursday.
About a half dozen deputies from the Escambia County Sheriff’s Department Traffic Unit conducted the operation, stopping car after car for violating the speed limit. In the 45 mph stretch of Highway 97 at Arthur Brown Road, near Ernest Ward Middle, deputies stopped several vehicles traveling over 60 mph Thursday morning. Thursday afternoon, it was a similar story on North Century Boulevard (Highway 29).
Many of the North Escambia traffic complaints have centered on Highway 97, known locally for its speeders and the number of traffic crashes. Thursday morning, marked cruisers were lined up in a driveway just south of Ernest Ward, partially hidden from northbound traffic by an old building. Meanwhile, motorcycle officers waited under a large oak tree nearby. One after another, the deputies pulled out after speeders.
The Traffic Unit often spends days in Pensacola working traffic in between escorting funerals. But Sheriff David Morgan has directed the unit to crack down on traffic in North Escambia when time allows, make traffic control a priority.
Pictured top: Escambia County Sheriff’s Office Traffic Unit motorcycle deputies use a radar gun to check the speed of passing motorists Thursday morning on Highway 97 in Walnut Hill. Pictured inset and below: A deputy writes a ticket on Highway 97 in Walnut Hill. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
New State Website Lists 3,800 Available Oil Spill Jobs
June 18, 2010
If you area Florida resident looking for an oil spill recover job, a new website launched Thursday might provide the opportunity you are seeking.
Gov. Charlie Crist unveiled the new website www.floridagulfrecoveryjobs.com that currently lists over 3,500 oil spill response and recovery effort jobs. The site is a dedicated portal through Florida’s official online job bank, the Employ Florida Marketplace.
“Immediate access to recovery-related job openings provides Floridians the opportunity to help our state while supporting their families and communities,” said Governor Crist. “Our beautiful Sunshine State remains open for business, and Florida Gulf Recovery Jobs is the latest example of our coordinated efforts to ensure preparedness and strengthen our economy.”
Florida Gulf Recovery Jobs is a joint venture of the Agency for Workforce Innovation and Workforce Florida Inc., in partnership with the state’s 24 Regional Workforce Boards — including the local Workforce Escarosa. Designed as an online “one-stop shop” for job seekers and employers, the website allows job seekers to access available positions, which are verified by the local Regional Workforce Boards, as employers post them. Floridians can also call 1-877-362-5034 to learn more about available jobs related to response and recovery efforts.
“Our top priority is getting Floridians back to work and ensuring Florida’s business climate continues to flourish,” said Chris Hart IV, president/CEO of Workforce Florida Inc. and interim director of the Governor’s Office of Tourism, Trade and Economic Development. “Florida Gulf Recovery Jobs is a key component of the state’s response to the oil spill, providing Florida’s job seekers access to a wide array of employment opportunities and its businesses with a ready and willing talent pool.”
Some response and recovery jobs will require special training, for which job seekers may receive a stipend. More than 2,400 workers have already been trained and are eligible to begin filling these positions, including 302 who are already participating in Florida’s recovery efforts. Information about required training is also available at www.floridagulfrecoveryjobs.com. Additionally, job seekers are encouraged to visit one of the 93 local One-Stop Career Centers for information about these and other employment opportunities in their communities.
In the North Escambia area, Escarosa Career Centers are located at 8120 North Century Boulevard in Century, 3670-A North L Street in Pensacola and 5723 Highway 90 in Milton.