Question
QUESTION: Don, we live in central gulf coast Florida and have a small garden with about 12 tomato plants.  Up until mid-May everything was great.  But since then we have had an ever increasing plague of tiny black flying pests that seem immune to Sevin spray, and they are eating and rotting our tomatoes to the extent that the share is one tomato for us and one for the bugs.  Any ideas, and short of a flamethrower, how do I get rid of them?   Thanks,David

ANSWER: David:

This is a tough one as bugs like this are hard to deal with. If sevin does not work, ask you garden supply for something a little stronger. However, when you eat the fruit make sure you was it really good.

I would recommend that you buy some clear plastic mesh like you use on screen doors and cover them with it and a few poles to hold the material off the plants. Wind may be a problem. This will keep them out for sure but is a little troublesome.

I wish I could offer some better advice but this is the best I know. These pesty bugs are a big problem and sometimes called fruit flies. I did the sides of my green houses in northen Thailand like this and it kept them out.

Best wishes.

Don Battles

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QUESTION: Don, thanks for the answer.  Got another one.  Our total garden consist of Raised bed, earth boxes and Topsy Turvys.  In all of them, the area near and out from the stem stays greenish for quite awhile and is often accompanied with rot.  Is this caused by the bugs or are they simply attracted to the rotted areas.  Can it be caused by over-watering, as I water them every morning, and have found it in all three growing methods.  Or should I forget about growing tomatoes in hot and humid Florida in summer.

Answer
David:

I think that you are over watering. Overwatering depletes the nutrients in the soil.

Also, for those crops that are sensitive to nematodes please rotate them yearly. It is difficult to do this when you have a limited area. There is not only a concern about nematodes but about fungus. There are so many fungici that it is almost impossible to name them.
If it is easy, try to get a soil sample and test the ph.

When the garden is finished, till it in the winter time and let the soil borne things get exposed to the sun and die.

Gardening is both rewarding and disappointing. It really hurts when something goes wrong with healthly looking plants. Almost like you cat or dog dieing.

Pay close attention to critters like mites and night crawling worms.

Best wishes and good growing. I wish I were there to give you a hand.

If you need to communicate with me E-mail at [email protected].

Don