Tomato disaster

 

My plants are all dying, apparently I'm not alone the whole New England
crop is being wiped out by Irish potato famine fungus.

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2009/07/31/disease_that_spawned_irelands_potato_famine_hits_new_england/

 

On 31 Jul 2009 15:04:18 GMT, General Schvantzkoph


I'm sorry to hear that. i had over 100 tomato plants succumb to blight
one year. I was able to keep some going and don't know if it was my
efforts or that a few plants were stronger. I used a strong garlic
based infusion to feed the tomatoes with, along with other herbs like
yarrow and comfrey.

i don't know if it's the same blight, but certain ones will stay in
the soil for several years. :(

Kate

 

On Fri, 31 Jul 2009 10:22:39 -0500, kate wrote:


disease_that_spawned_irelands_potato_famine_hits_new_england/

Has anyone had any experience with blight resistant varieties? Oregon
State claims to have developed a variety called Legend that is late
blight resistant. Is it available to the public yet?

 



    Yes; much has been written on the subject. One source even went so
far as to imply that producers of "Bonnie" branded vegetable sets, often
sold in handy-homeowner garden departments, were the culprits. However,
it is equally likely that improper handling, watering, protection from
elements were all major contributors. Experiments in Ireland have
demonstrated that, because the "fungus" is wind/rain-borne, protection
from wind can substantially reduce risks of infection. This site:
 http://www.agf.gov.bc.ca/cropprot/lateblighthg.htm
offers much general information plus ten specific tips for
inhibiting/controlling infections. It is not specific to BC. Informative
photos here:
http://www.hort.cornell.edu/department/Facilities/lihrec/vegpath/photos/lateblight_tomato.htm