Question
I think I had tomato canker hit me last year. I really can’t move my garden to another spot, as the land isn’t ours. (We rent this house.) Is there any way that I can ensure that it won’t hit again? Only my tomatoes were affected. I had a bumper crop of green peppers, and I know the two are related. Any ideas on cleaning up my soil? My garden is roughly 13x16 feet.
Answer
Tomato canker is caused by bacteria, which will survive in the soil. The only sure way to get rid of it is to not grow tomatoes or their relatives on the plot for an entire growing season. We suggest that you let your tomato patch go to pot and grow your tomatoes in containers next summer. Also, do not save seeds from year to year; they can carry over the bacteria. —Gardening experts George and Becky Lohmiller, Hancock, New Hampshire
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