Thanks a Bunch Big Box Stores...

Users who are viewing this thread

Redwood

Master Plumber
Messages
7,335
Reaction score
13
Points
0
Location
Connecticut
Fungus That Caused Ireland's Potato Famine Now Affecting Gardens In New England
By SHAWN R. BEALS
The Hartford Courant
July 10, 2009
The state and most of New England are teetering on the edge of losing every tomato plant to a fungus that is flourishing in the wet weather the region has endured for weeks, state experts said Thursday.

It's the same fungus — late blight — that decimated the potato crop in Ireland in the mid-19th century. The region's potato crop is also vulnerable, but it's tomatoes that will really get slammed, said Jude Boucher, an extension educator at the University of Connecticut and a state commercial vegetable expert.

"If we don't get some dry weather, we may not have any tomatoes in the state of Connecticut," Boucher said, explaining that the disease multiplies best in a 65- to 70-degree wet environment.

The late blight has already been picking off backyard plants here and there. Boucher said he found the first case on a commercial farm on Wednesday, and on Thursday four out of the 10 farms he visited in the Connecticut River Valley had it.

"It's just beginning to snowball," Boucher said. "I expect by next week most farms will have late blight. Pathologists think tomatoes won't survive the season [if the constant rain continues]."

Boucher said even farms that stick to a strict fungicide schedule to combat such diseases have had the late blight show up....

...."Once a plant is infected with this late blight there is a chemical that really only a commercial grower can use," she said. "There isn't much a homeowner can do once a plant gets infected."

But even some commercial chemicals, so far, have not been effective, Boucher said.

The fungus apparently comes from a single grower or possibly a few growers in Alabama whose plants were sold by major retailers such as The Home Depot and Wal-Mart, then transplanted to personal gardens, said Linda Piotrowicz, a spokeswoman for the state Department of Agriculture.

Anyone who suspects that a plant has the disease should get it checked immediately, and the plant should be removed and sealed in a plastic bag to prevent further spreading. For a more environment-friendly approach, the plant can also be buried deep enough so it won't re-sprout.

Piotrowicz said there is no health risk to people or animals, and it's even safe to cut a lesion off a tomato caused by late blight and eat the rest of the fruit.

Most of the stores with plants suspected of carrying the fungus have removed them from the shelves, said Joan Allen, pathologist at the Home and Garden Education Center at the University of Connecticut.... Click Here to Read Full Article:mad:

Thanks for nothing Big Box Stores...
My Tomato Plant's are shot!:mad:
Pity my neighbor bought cheap plants at big box...
Next year I'll offer to pay him the difference not to...
 
Last edited:

Cass

Plumber
Messages
5,947
Reaction score
7
Points
0
Location
Ohio
I always knew I didn't like those Micks....We should send them all back...:D
 

Cass

Plumber
Messages
5,947
Reaction score
7
Points
0
Location
Ohio
I even went looking for that pot of gold at the end of the rainbow and the little Irish midget people had stolen it...
 
Last edited:

Cookie

.
Messages
5,580
Reaction score
8
Points
0
Location
Home
Hmmmm, is this homemade wedding soup good... lots of tiny little seasoned meatballs, and orzo. Delicious. :)
 

Redwood

Master Plumber
Messages
7,335
Reaction score
13
Points
0
Location
Connecticut
So how the heck do you know what it is or looks like?

It looks like a garden full of tomatoes that will never see the table...

http://www.hort.cornell.edu/department/Facilities/lihrec/vegpath/photos/lateblight_tomato.htm

late_blight_tomato_fruit1x500.jpg
 

Cookie

.
Messages
5,580
Reaction score
8
Points
0
Location
Home
Scuba Dave,

You've never seen blight on some fruit? You probably have, you just didn't recognize it. Some people just think it is some kind of a rot, unless you know what you are looking at.
 
Top
Hey, wait a minute.

This is awkward, but...

It looks like you're using an ad blocker. We get it, but (1) terrylove.com can't live without ads, and (2) ad blockers can cause issues with videos and comments. If you'd like to support the site, please allow ads.

If any particular ad is your REASON for blocking ads, please let us know. We might be able to do something about it. Thanks.
I've Disabled AdBlock    No Thanks