Question: Is there some way that I can send you some pictures of a problem in my garden? I’d rather not drive all the way to Provo with my sick plants if showing you pictures would do the job.

Answer: Pictures are a good way to get started with a garden diagnosis. Send your pictures to gardenhelp@usu.edu. Please include detailed information about the watering routine and the history of the problem along with your phone number so we can call if we need to.

Q: We just picked our first tomatoes and both of them had blossom end rot. We did all the things this year that you talked about for blossom end rot last year, but they are still brown on the bottom. But we still have a few tomatoes with the end rot. What went wrong?

A: Since you’ve been careful to water properly and avoid root damage, you were probably a victim of our cool, wet spring weather.

Your tomato plants probably set their first few tomatoes while the soil was still cold and their roots systems weren’t very large or vigorous yet. They couldn’t move enough water and calcium into the little tomatoes, and the fruits developed blossom end rot. If this is what’s happening, it shouldn’t affect more than the first few tomatoes of the season. In a week or two you should be harvesting some delicious, normal tomatoes.

Remember that avoiding susceptible varieties; deep, consistent watering; careful weeding to avoid root damage; and proper fertilizing (but not over-fertilizing) will help you have a great tomato season every year.

Q: Something is wrong with my sycamore tree. I planted it a few years ago and it has been doing great, but now pieces of bark are peeling away and in some places the color looks off. What can I do to save my tree?

A: Your tree is probably just fine. The outermost bark on a sycamore naturally flakes off as the girth of the trunk and limbs increases. You can see this same characteristic with several other tree species, such as silver maples, paperbark maples, paper birch and lacebark pine. Many people choose to plant trees like these because they like the exfoliating bark, which adds winter interest in their landscapes. As your tree matures, the bark will become more beautiful and more colorful.

As long as you are giving your tree good care, including deep, infrequent watering, and you aren’t seeing any holes, oozing, weeping, sawdust or sunken wet-looking areas on the bark, your tree is fine and just doing what it naturally does.

UTAH COUNTY FAIR: Be sure to enter your items in the Utah County Fair. It’s free to enter and every entry receives either a Blue Ribbon ($3), Red Ribbon ($2) or White Ribbon ($1). Just wait and see what the judges say! After that there are $25 awards for best in each area, then $100 goes to Best of Show. We look forward to seeing what you’ve created! Intake is Monday, Aug. 13 from 8 a.m.-6 p.m., and Wednesday, Aug. 15 from 8 a.m.-1 p.m. for Horticulture & Floriculture (only). Intake time on Wednesday is 8 a.m.-1 p.m. You can register at the fair or online and save time! Just Google Utah County Fair and click on OPEN CLASS and follow the instructions to a quick and easy registration. Or bring your items to the fair on Monday from 8 a.m.-6 p.m. and we will be glad to help you register! Can’t wait to see you at the fair! Questions? Call Trish Throne at (801) 851-8463.