Newspaper Page Text
The Taylor County News, May 21, 2020, Page 4,
If you cannot get rid of the family skeleton, you
may as well make it dance. —GeorgeBernard Shaw
emmmmt exactitude
Submitted by Jeff Cook, Taylor County Extension Agent
ELECT■
TERES A WINSOR *
Clerk of Superior Court KM
o
REPUBLICAN £
Blossom End Rot
It is about time for folks to start harvesting tomatoes and peppers, so it is also about time for folks to start asking about blossom
end rot. Blossom end rot is a condition that can happen in most of the things that we grow in our garden, but is most often a
problem on tomatoes. The short story is that blossom end rot is the result of a calcium deficiency. The long story is trying to
figure out exactly why this deficiency is happening.
Calcium is very important for many functions inside a plant, hut one that is really important is
its role in cell wall stability. Calcium (Ca) deficiency early in fruit development is irreversible
and causes what we know as blossom end rot (BER). Blossom end rot occurs when cell wall
calcium “concrete” is deficient during early fruit development, and results in cell wall membrane
collapse and the appearance of dark, sunken pits at the blossom end of fruit. Gardeners often
feel that this is a disease, but it is usually the result of improper nutrient or water management.
So, how do we manage this disorder? If your soil test showed that Ca was on the high side f 800
lbs/A or greater), then we assume that there is enough Ca in the soil for proper crop growth. A
pH of 6.0 or greater and preplant Ca will also assure enough Ca for proper crop growth. Com
mercial growers should submit tissue samples prior to flowering to insure adequate Ca is inside
the plants. This may not be practical for the home gardener.
Over fertilization with nitrogen and potassium can also lead to deficiencies. Excess foliar growth
requires Calcium and may use what is in the plant rather than it going to the developing fruit.
There is also competition between N, K and Ca, because those two ions compete for uptake into
the plant. If you have the option, it may be better to avoid fertilizing late on tomatoes or switch
to calcium nitrate instead of 34-0-0.
Elect Ml To Serve Yol
hv t \ks or Clerical Experience
Born. Raised, * Work! n i.\
Taylor Cohnty All My Life
VOTE
★★★★★★★★★★
KEITH POOLE
TAYLOR COUNTY COMMISSIONER
Foliar Ca sprays are out there, and they claim to alleviate BER, but research has not shown
this to be true. Calcium has no way of flowing from the leaves to the fruit, and the skin of the
fruit is impermeable to water once the tomato is the size of a golf ball.
Finally and most importantly is irrigation. Calcium can only move into the plant in water. As
the plants get larger and fruit begins to develop, water use increases, If we do not keep irriga
tion constant and increase it as demand increases, then we run the risk of inducing a Ca defi
ciency and causing BER. Most of the time, BER is the result of improper irrigation. By either
over watering or letting plants become to dry, we inadvertently cause the Ca deficiency and end
up with had fruit 1 feel that it is also in part due to the large number of fruit that tomato plants
will set early.
This problem can also be seen in peppers and all of the cucurbits, like squash. It is probably
more of a problem on tomatoes because of the crop load and the thickness of the skin on the fruit.
Call or contact me at (478) 862-5496, <478) 825-6466, mackirtf'kiga.edu.
Church Calendar
Whitehill Baptist Church, Hwy. 128 north of Reynolds, extends a very warm-
hearted invitation to you
to attend a Drive-In-
Stay-In-Your-Car Wor
ship Service on June 7th,
at 11 a.m. They are look
ing forward to a power
ful deliverance in the
Word. Join them online
on Facebook live, Jamie
J. Johnson, every first
and third Sunday of each
month, at 11 a.nu Rev,
Jamie J. Johnson, pastor
VOTE
Victor NICK"
PANDOLFI
Board of Education
District 3
House of Blessings”
OPENING
For those in need of food and clothing
Must present ID to receive services
27 West Main Street, Butler, GA
(Next to Ray’s on the Run)
RL
Open:
May 30, JO a.m„ -12 pan,
June 8,2 p.m. - 4 p.m.
June 27, 10 a,m, - 12 p,m.
A ministry provided by Bethel Congregational Methodist
Church, First Baptist Church of Butler, The Church,
and Butler United Methodist Church
Per COVIP-19 Guidelines:
We will be implementing social distancing.
DISTRICT 4
RUSSELL
SCHOOL BOARD
DISTRICT 4
To the Voters of District 4:
My name is Russell Pounds! and I am seeking the office of School
Board Member for DISTRICT 4, Board of Education.
I would first like to thank Mr. Sandy Harris for his 28 years of
service on the School Board for District 4. His dedication to the
education of our children is deeply appreciated.
I am honored to have the opportunity to ask for your vote to
serve on this Board and play a role in shaping the issues to main
taining and building the highest quality education for our children.
As a lifelong resident of the county, I am a graduate of Taylor
County High, as is my wife, Michelle Bone Pounds. Two of our
sons, Rus and Jake, have also graduated from Taylor County, and
our son, Levi, is currently in high school.
As a former County Commissioner and a small business owner,
I understand the importance of every tax dollar, and I pledge to be
a good steward of your tax dollars that are spent educating your
children.
My goal is to make our School System a place where all our
children can succeed and reach their goals. I pledge to be proac
tive on all issues concerning the School System in pursuit of that
goal.
As we move forward in these especially trying times, I would
like to assure everyone in District 4 that I will be a conscientious
representative of your interests on the Board, Just as when I served
as County Commissioner, I wilt have an open door policy, making
myself available to the voters of District 4 and all the voters of Tay
lor County.
Dedicated and dependable are the words which 1 live by, and I
stand by them in everything I do.
Since I will not be able to visit each voter because of the pan
demic, please use this letter as my request for your support and
vote.
Thank You,
Russell Pounds
ALBRITTON’S GARAGE & AUTO PARTS
18 Clover Lane • Butler, GA
(478) 862-5233 (Work) • (478) 214-2674 (Cell)
Exhaust Work &
Catalytic Converters
4 Wheel Alignment
Air Conditioner Service
Tune Ups
Oil Changes
Transmission Service
Auto Parts • Tires
Batteries
Come See Us
Carl Albritton
Owner
Steve Albritton
Parts Manager
Brad Albritton
Service Technician