Happy Farming . com

This is a guest post written by Amy Lizee from Environment911.org:

Rainwater harvesting is not something that is new to society. In fact, “the oldest evidence of roof catchment systems date back to Roman times. Roman villas and even whole cities were designed to take advantage of rainwater as the principal water source for drinking and domestic purposes since at least 2000 B.Cs” ¹

However, as society developed and evolved, the use of rainwater become less and less. Although individuals in the agricultural segment use rainwater to grow their crops and feed livestock, it has been almost completely forgotten in the urban setting.

While rainwater harvesting can be a complex process with high-tech systems, it can also be a simple barrel with a secure lid. Regardless of which form of catchments you choose to use, switching to rainwater provides many benefits to yourself and the environment.

6. Provides a healthier source of water

Rainwater is a naturally pure source of liquid. As it has not gone through any municipal treatment centers or filters, it remains free of chlorine, pesticides and dissolved minerals. This makes it a very good option especially for individuals on low sodium diets or any one with weak immune systems.

5. Water conservation and reducing water demand

Individuals who use harvested water are playing a part in water conservation, which is one of the most important environmental concerns of today. Although the majority of the Earths surface is covered in water, only 2.5% is fresh water and fit for consumption. Of this, “1.6% of the earth’s fresh water is trapped in glaciers and polar ice, which leaves less than 1% in our lakes, rivers and streams for human consumption”. ²

By harvesting rainwater, you are using less municipal water and thereby, reducing your urban consumption. In turn, you are also reducing water demand by removing one home or part of a home from the urban water plate.

4. Supplement municipal water in time of low availability

Linking to the first point, in times of drought or low water supply, homes that harvest rainwater are able to supplement their regular water source during droughts and low availability or even during storms and power outages.

3. Can be used to divert rainwater to toilet flushing or other functions

Not all homes harvest rainwater for the purpose of drinking and bathing, but luckily there are many other areas in which rainwater can be a useful supplement for municipal water sources. For example, rainwater can be harvested and used for lawns or gardens, agricultural fields as well as flushing toilets or doing laundry. Many people don’t realize how much water these daily activities can take up. In fact, “landscaping, laundry and flushing toilets account for up to 75% or more of fresh water used in the average home”. ³ By switching some of your regular activities to rainwater, you will reduce your urban consumption as well as your carbon footprint.

2. Reduce storm drainage loads

This is perhaps the single most important environmental effect of harvesting rainwater. Since a storm drain lacks a filter, untreated storm water often finds itself in varies bodies of water. This has a huge impact on our environment because some of the most common storm drain pollutants included: motor oil and fuel, litter, paint and paint thinners, household cleaners and fertilizers. All of these pollutants affect wildlife and many of them do not breakdown naturally. So, by reducing storm drainage loads, pollution is declined, thereby reducing the impact to our natural plants, wildlife, rivers, streams and oceans.

1. Save money

The usage of water in your home requires energy, which we pay for. When you reduce the usage of urban water in and around your home, you are also reducing the energy costs associated. In some cases, this means a 35-40% savings on your annual household water bill! If the environmental and health benefits didn’t get you, I am sure this one will!

“All the water that will ever be is, right now.” – National Geographic, October 1993

Now that you are aware of the benefits to rainwater harvesting, I am sure it seems like a much more colorful option then it did before. While switching over might seem like a big change, the benefits far outweigh any negative impact.

There are hundreds of ways that we can save the environment each and every day, but all of them require change in the way we do things and the way we view the world around us. By taking what Mother Nature has given and using it in its most natural form, we are connecting to nature and protecting it for future generations.

Environment911.org is an interactive website for individuals to come and discuss the environment from green business to natural disasters. We feel it is important for people to come together and share their thoughts, ideas and visions for the future. The more we can communicate what is happening in our world, the more people can be educated and the more we can progress. Beyond Environment911.org you can find us on Facebook and Twitter where we are continuing to spread the message about our global environment and the impact that we have on it every day. www.environment911.org

1) http://www.crd.bc.ca/water/conservation/outdoorwateruse/recycling/harvesting.htm
2) http://www.gutterdoc.ca/rain-water-harvesting/
3) http://www.tieswithnature.ca/rainwater-harvesting/rain-water-benefits/

Photo by jayneandd.
We all want great tomatoes from our tomato plants, but often the plants are hit by diseases or pests and although some fruit develops wouldn’t it be nice to maximize the yield from each plant to get a killer crop, by curing the diseases or getting rid of the pests?

The first thing to do when you notice a not so healthy looking plant is to find out exactly what is going on, so that you can begin you search for the cure. Below is a list of symptoms together with possible causes to get you going on your quest to grow the best possible tomatoes. Try doing a Google image search once you get an idea of what your tomato plants are trying to tell you, and see if it looks like what you’re seeing on your own tomato plant leaves.

Discolored leaves

Yellow

As you can see below, a yellow coloring of your tomato plant leaves can be caused by many different things. The color yellow either covers the entire leaf, is limited to patches or limited to just spots, depending on the cause:

• A lack of nitrogen affects the lower leaves. It spreads to the upper leaves.
• A lack of calcium affects the upper leaves
• A lack of manganese is rare, but will result in dead patches on the leaves, ringed in yellow
• Wilt diseases can cause a shortage of nutrients, which will then result in a discoloring of leaves
• Fusarium Wilt affects older leaves
• Verticillium (Verticillium dahliae)
• Leaf spots (Early Blight or Target Spot)
• Root rot
• Mosaic virus results in mottling
• Aphids
• Spider-mites can cause a white-yellow speckling

Light green

• Too much nitrogen
• A lack of manganese

White

• A lack of iron
• Powdery Mildew results in powdery patches

Black

• Fusarium Crown Rot

Curling leaves

• A lack of potassium affects older leaves
• A lack of iron
• A lack of copper is rare, but results in blue-green flappy leaves
• Curly Top virus affects upper leaves and results in a purple-like color

Spots on leaves

Brown

• Early Blight or Target Spot (Alternaria solani)
• Late Blight (Phytophthora infestans)

Dark

• Bacterial Speck (Pseudomonas syringae)
• Bacterial Spot (Xanthomonas campestris pv vesicatoria)

Purple

• Late Blight (Phytophthora infestans)
• Tomato Spotted Wilt/Impatiens Necrotic Spot Tospoviruses

Wilting leaves

• Fusarium (Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. lycopersici)
• Fusarium Wilt
• Fusarium Crown Rot
• Verticillium (Verticillium dahliae) can result in wilting at midday but recovery at night
• Bacterial wilt (Ralstonia solanacearum)
• Root rot
• Tomato Spotted Wilt/Impatiens Necrotic Spot Tospoviruses (TSWV or INSV)
• Nematodes causes the plant to wilt prematurely
• Walnut toxicity if the plants grow near a walnut tree

Drooping leaves

• Fusarium (Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. lycopersici)
• Fusarium Wilt
• Fusarium Crown Rot

Flies on leaves

• Whitefly (1 mm), more often seen in a greenhouse than out in the open
• Thrips (1 mm), onion thrips (Thrips tabaci) and flower thrips (Thrips obscuratus)
• Fruit fly

Removing some of the leaves

If the problem is that you have too many tomato plant leaves then here are some tips on removing some of the leaves to provide the plants with more sunlight and oxygen:

• Single vine variety: All ‘suckers’ can be removed and staking should first be done after the first flowers appear to create a strong plant.
• Multi-stemmed variety: All stems should have the same size. Any side stems below the first flower cluster can be removed to create a strong main stem.
• Determinate variety: ‘Suckers’ below the first flower cluster can be removed.
• Sterilize knife or scissors between plants, or use your fingers to pinch of unwanted leaves and branches
• Remove branches during dry days to avoid bacteria getting into the ‘wound’ because of rain
• Remove sick leaves and branches to reduce spreading of diseases
• You can reuse any clippings – they will grow into new plants if you stick them into the soil!

Cucumber leaves

I haven’t been able to find any evidence saying that tomato plants can’t rub leaves with cucumbers. I think it’s a myth and more a question about space. Cucumbers grow big leaves, and they could overshadow a tomato plant if the plants were standing close.

While it should be safe to grow cucumbers near tomatoes, there are some plants that are even recommended companion plants for tomatoes, like French marigolds (Tagetes patula), because they deter nematodes. Other plants that act as pest control are:

• Basil
• Chives
• Parsley
• Onions

Source:

How to Grow Juicy Tasty Tomatoes by Lucia Grimmer and Annette Welsford