Post

Indiana’s tomato crop varies

Much like Indiana’s corn and soybean crops the state’s tomato crop has been impacted by this year’s excessive rainfall.

Steve Smith, director of agriculture for Red Gold tomatoes says almost every area of the state has had some damage.  “Our Central Indiana was hurt by far the worst,” he says.  “Our Southern Indiana crop is actually pretty good, our northwest Indiana area got hurt pretty bad early – but then has turned out to be pretty good.  We have all different types of growing conditions – northwest Ohio has been hurt pretty severely as has southeast Michigan.”

Smith tells Brownfield tomatoes prefer a little dryer growing condition.  “When you get too much rain – disease does set in both on the roots and the foliar part of the plant,” he says.  “Yields also suffer because the plants get stunted and don’t get as big to start.”

He says Red Gold growers will start tomato harvest later this week.