Tip of the Week: How Late Blight Took Hold
Posted in Gardening Tips on November 23rd, 2009 by Sonia Uyterhoeven – Be the first to comment |
Sonia Uyterhoeven is Gardener for Public Education. |
I think it is worth reflecting further on the effects of the cool, rainy weather we had this season—not to reminisce but rather to attain a deeper understanding of the practice of gardening.
Something came along this year that caught people by surprise. Late blight (Phytophthora infestans) swept through the region like a hurricane and caught everyone off guard by acting like an awkward party guest who arrived early.
Meteorologically, its early appearance was logical. Late blight is a devastating fungal problem that thrives with high humidity and cool, rainy weather. It covers a plant with white powdery spores and large green to brown spots that swell to the size of a quarter. The stem is typically marked with brown lesions. This fast-moving disease can decimate a plant within a week.
In the New York area, one of the disease’s greatest targets, tomatoes, are generally planted between Mother’s Day and Memorial Day, when the temperatures are warming up. It is generally only late in the season when they are susceptible to cool, rainy temperatures. read more »