A Tough Year For Organic Growing Of Tomatoes
It’s going to be a tough year for the organic growing of tomatoes, particularly in the southeast of the US. That’s because of the late blight that unexpectedly hit this area last year.
Late blight, known for causing the 1850′s Irish potato famine, struck 23 states including Canada last year causing millions of dollars of damage. This year, it’s expected to reach from New England to Florida and as far west as North Dakota.
Caused by a fungus-like organism called oomycete, late blight is spread by airborne spores. Normally, late blight won’t survive the colder winter, but it will survive in potatoes left in the fields.
Watch this video on organic growing/late blight:
The biggest problem with this disease and organic gardening is that you have to avoid the pesticides. Amy Hepworth, an organic farmer in New York, sprayed her tomatoes with copper. The blue residue that it leaves on the tomatoes has to be re-applied after each rain.
If you do suspect that your tomatoes do have late blight, you are encouraged to contact a cooperative extension agency to confirm it. It’s a community disease and everyone needs to know about it to protect the farms.
Organic growing is fun and delicious, but avoiding diseases like late blight is in the best interests of everyone.
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