Tomatoes, like we humans, are subject to diseases, insects and weather problems.

The most common weather-related problems are blossom end rot, cracking and blossom drop.

Blossom end rot begins on the bottom of the tomato. The spot turns black and the fruit is inedible. It is caused by a lack of calcium in the plant that is the result of a fluctuating moisture supply. The rot usually starts when the plants are growing rapidly and are suddenly hit by a hot, dry spell. They suffer moisture stress and this brings on the problem. The best way to prevent this occurrence is by keeping the water supply constant throughout the season. Some gardeners have effectively prevented the blossom end rot crises by spraying the foliage twice per week with a solution of a tablespoon of calcium chloride in a gallon of water.

Cracking starts during warm rainy spells after a dry period. The tomatoes simply expand too fast. Keeping the moisture supply constant is the best way to avoid this problem.

Blossom drop is the result of nighttime temperatures dropping below 55 degrees.

The two most common tomato diseases in Butler County are early blight and late blight.

Early blight begins with the appearance of small brown spots with concentric rings in their centers and yellow margins. This is initially observed on the lower leaves. To keep early blight in check, clean up the area at the end of the garden season because the disease spores can survive over winter. Maintain good air circulation around the plants by not crowding them. Fungicides, such as Daconil 2787, are an effective deterrent.

Late blight causes the leaves to develop bluish-gray spots, then turn brown and drop. Fruits develop dark brown, corky spots. Wet weather with warm days and cool nights are ideal conditions for this disease to proliferate. The best control for this disease is the regular use of Diaconil 2787.

Fusarium and verticillium are two diseases that kill tomato plants. These diseases are soil borne and there is no cure for them. They can be avoided by using tomato varieties that are resistant to the diseases. When purchasing seeds or plants, look for the letters F and V after the variety name. For example, Early Girl FV. Many of the hybrid varieties are resistant to both diseases and some are also resistant to less common diseases.

Cutworms are brown or black worms that curl up when disturbed. The 1- to 1½-inch critters come out at night and chew tomato plants off at the soil surface. A simple way to deter this pest is to put newspaper around the stem of the transplant, spanning 1 inch above and 1 inch below the ground. If the tomato has already been planted, use two toothpicks, sticking them on opposite sides of the stem.

Tomato fruitworm is a season-long pest that eats huge holes in the green and ripe fruit. The green or yellow striped caterpillars get up to 2 inches long. They can be controlled with the insecticide Sevin.

The large 5-inch long green worms with white diagonal stripes are hornworms. A few of these can do major damage by consuming large quantities of foliage. The hornworm can also be controlled with Sevin.