Question from Peggy

I found this caterpillar on my container planting. I don’t know what it is.  Can you identify it for me? I don’t know if it will do damage to my plant and if I should remove it.

Answer from Master Gardener Bob

Peggy; you have an American Lady caterpillar.  It will become a beautiful butterfly and will not hurt your plant.

My three pepper plants have started to wilt. it has been dry and hot here, but we had rain 7-10 days ago. Any suggestions?

With the hot weather we have had recently pepper plants like most garden vegetables need additional and consistent watering. Anytime temperatures are in the upper 80’s to 90’s they will typically need to be watered every 3-4 days. Make sure you water deeply and do your best to water at the base of the plant while not getting any water on the leaves. A soaker hose is a great way to administer water to all garden plants in a slow steady manner. In addition; watering in the early morning is best for all plants in order to reduce the chances of disease. Good luck with your pepper plants.

Question from Don

My tomato plants are starting to display yellow leaves with dark brown spots near the bottom of the plants. On a few plants this seems to be spreading to the leaves immediately above the affected leaves. What can I do?

Answer from Master Gardener Bob

If you have noticed tomato leaf spots and the lower leaves turning yellow, you may have tomato early blight alternaria. This tomato disease causes damage to the leaves, stems and even the fruit of the plant.  Once a plant is infected tomato early blight alternaria, a fungicide can be sprayed on the plant. This can help reduce the damage from the plant, but frequently this will only lessen, not eliminate the problem. The best way how to treat leaf spot on tomatoes is to make sure it doesn’t occur in the first place. For future plantings, make sure the tomato plants are far enough apart. Also, don’t water the plants from overhead; use drip irrigation instead or water from the plant bottom. If you find Alternaria Alternata in your garden, make sure not to plant any other plants from the nightshade family in that spot for at least a full year. Destroy any tomatoes that have tomato leaf spots. Do not compost tomato plants with plant leaf spots, as this can re-infest your garden next year with tomato early blight alternaria.

Read more at Gardening Know How: Early Blight Alternaria – Treatment For Tomato Plant Leaf Spots And Yellow Leaves http://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/tomato/early-blight-alternaria-tomato-leaf-spots-yellow-leaves.htm

Read more at Gardening Know How: Early Blight Alternaria – Treatment For Tomato Plant Leaf Spots And Yellow Leaves http://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/tomato/early-blight-alternaria-tomato-leaf-spots-yellow-leaves.htm