New England Gardener

Blight, Black Rot,and Mildew all threatened to crash 2009’s garden party, but as I look around the community garden here in Maine, I see there are many more successes than failures. The corn has overcome its late start. The cukes and squashes are producing right on schedule. Lettuces are delicious and abundant. In other words, there’s more than enough to fill out a salad bowl.

As gardeners, we must learn from the farmer’s optimism and work with what Mother Nature has delivered. Yes, I did have to pull my blight-ridden tomatoes, but now I’m looking forward to a bumper crop of bush beans. After I yanked the tomatoes last week, I threw in some bush bean seeds and the seedlings burst from the soil yesterday, determined to deliver a crop before the frost hits.
Read more »

August 12 Pest Report From MOFGA

LATE BLIGHT
What to do with a field infected with late blight
[Reprinted and modified a bit from an article by Becky Grube Sideman, UNH
Cooperative Extension, Sustainable Horticulture Specialist]

Late blight is now in potato and tomato fields throughout the state. From
what I have heard, those using preventative fungicide programs have kept
the disease at bay thus far, but many who did not apply fungicides are
having fields go down. Once symptoms are widespread in the field, it is the
time to cut your losses and kill the plants to prevent the disease from
spreading into other fields or high tunnels. For tomatoes, this will mean a
crop loss. For potatoes, however, it may still be possible to get a decent
crop.

Read more »

Gardeners,
Here are some preventative treatment options for Late Blight suggested by Tom Eickenberg at Johnny’s. I’m posting his email to me in response to my question, “Is there anything to be done to treat plants that are already infected…”

From Tom:
I am sorry, once a plant has late blight it should be removed from the garden, as it will die shortly and can infect the remaining plants. The Maine Cooperative Extension is recommending you put a plastic bag (to prevent the spreading of the spores) over plants with late blight, then remove them from the garden. Throw the plants away do not compost them.

Read more »

The same fungus blamed for the Irish Potato Famine in the 1840s is now doing a number on crops in Vermont. “Late Blight” thrives in cool, wet weather and targets tomato and potato plants.

It shows up as dark spots on foliage and fruit, spreads easily and does its damage rapidly.

The disease poses no threat to humans.

While it has only been open to the public for three years, “Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens” is already becoming a national treasure. The garden’s designers are now making sure this treasure is accessible to everyone.

Plants and sculptures are intentionally within easy reach in raised beds inviting close inspection.

In an era when we’re so often on sensory overload, this is a place to reawaken the senses. Visitors leave refreshed and ready to tackle whatever is waiting on the other side of the garden gates.

Visit the Garden of the Five Senses website..

Early stages of Late Blight on tomato plant. Note the brown lesion. These lesions grow rapidly. Also look for brown discoloration on stems.

Do you have it on your potato or tomato crop?
Look for nickel sized brown lesions often ringed by dying yellow foliage and brown discoloration on the stems of plants. This link about late blight shows a few more photos and has helpful information about how to control it.

Read more »