![]() ![]() Late blight caused by the fungus, Phytophthora infestans, which primarily attacks plants in the Solanaceae family such as potato and tomato crops. Eventually, most of us on the East Coast lost our tomatoes that year. Then the cool and damp weather allowed the spores to multiply and spread quickly. First, a large plant supplier provided late blight infected plants to big box stores along the East Coast. The 2009 late blight pandemic was an unusual situation. Like many backyard gardeners, I knew nothing about the disease at the time and had never experienced it before. I’ve been rather paranoid about Late Blight ever since the 2009 pandemic that that took down much of the tomato plants in the Northeast. Not as quickly as in 2009 because of the dry weather, but rapidly enough for me to realize I had to take action. Tomatoes salvaged after late blight is discovered in another part of the garden. Several weeks ago, I spotted what looked like Late Blight on the foliage of my Amish Paste tomatoes. A quick check online at MOFGA’s 2014 Pest Reports and USAblight confirmed that Late Blight had been recently reported in my area.Īs a precaution, I harvested all the partially ripe tomatoes, quarantined them to the shed, trimmed off the diseased foliage, bagged and disposed it with the household trash, and watched it to see if it spread. I often munch on pole beans as I frown at the weeds that are taking over, check to see if there are any problems with pests or diseases, and plan what garden tasks to accomplish over the weekend. ![]() I carry a basket with me during this walk in order to harvest what is ready. ![]() It calms me to be among the plants that I tend to that provides us with nourishing, healthy, organic food. So it is important to destroy infected plants once you confirm you have late blight.Įven with my crazy, busy schedule lately, I take the time to walk through the garden at least once a day. In addition, late blight is highly communicable disease that is carried on wind and will infect other gardens and farms within a 50-mile radius. Late blight is not a treatable disease and it will kill your plants. ![]()
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