2nd
Gardening Help
After three years I have finally learned enough about gardening in Florida to get a small harvest: two cucumbers, six potatoes, and at least a dozen tomatoes so far. Some of my other plants have not fared as well, though. When my watermelon plants finally produced a fruit, I checked it every day, but sadly, when it reached baseball size a nasty-looking black spot appeared.
To figure out what went wrong, I checked witrh the University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension.
“Extension is a partnership between state, federal, and county governments to provide scientific knowledge and expertise to the public.”
According to them, my watermelons seem to be suffering from blossom end rot, caused by calcium deficiency in the soil. To be sure, I could contact a Master Gardener through a county extension office. In Sarasota County, we can call or email for gardening help or visit a help desk at a satellite location, including six of the libraries! They can examine my watermelon in person, test my soil and water, and tell me how to avoid this problem next time. For now, I’ll have to enjoy my tomatoes.
