Remember that episode of The Simpsons where tomatoes are crossed with tobacco plants, creating an addictive, high-inducing fruit?
In reality, smoking near tomato plants is highly discouraged because of something called tobacco mosaic virus:
Tobacco Mosaic Virus: There are actually several closely related viruses (the tobamoviruses) that cause the wilted, mottled, and underdeveloped fern-like leaves characteristic of the tobacco mosaic virus. All are spread by what are termed mechanical means: something or something that's been in contact with the virus touches an uninfected plant, and voila -- you've got an infected plant. Sanitation is therefore of the utmost importance, starting with never smoking near tomato plants, as tobacco can carry the virus. Infected plants should be destroyed. Back-yard plants purchased from a reliable nursery or grown from certified disease-free seed and handled in a tobacco-free environment by only one or two people, are unlikely to develop this disease.
Source: here.I'm not sure whether to really worry about this or not. Well, I really have no choice about it since there are many smokers in my apartment complex, and I don't think I can keep everyone from smoking near my plants, let alone not throw their cigarette butts on the ground (though people are considerate about my garden, which has been mostly butt-free).
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From some web research, I learned that the reason could be too much nitrogen and not enough phosphorous might be why my plants are not producing as much fruit. A nice little mnemonic I found from this GardenWeb forum thread is: "Nitrogen for leaves and shoots. Phosphorus for fruits and roots." Cute.
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I guess the point is, then, that growing tomatoes, even without the perfect conditions, is still a great idea. Well, if you live in Southern California, anyway.
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