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Late Blight on Tomatoes and Potatoes.
In the past few days you have probably read or heard about the late blight on tomatoes. This is a serious disease that can become a problem because it can quickly kill affected plants. These spores are easily carried by wind to infect other susceptible plants. Late blight usually occurs sporadically every year. This year is different because our summer has been cool and rainy which has made the conditions for late blight developement ideal, and plants that were already infected were sold in big box stores from Ohio to Maine. Here are some things you can do to keep this disease from spreading. Check your tomato and potato plants daily for brown or almost black lessions on stems or tomato fruit. If symptons are appearing please remove them immediately. Do not throw any infected plants in the compost pile, the spores will still spread. Put the plant(s) in a plastic garbage bag and throw it in the garbage. If you had an infected plant you can spray a fungicide containing chlorothalonil on your remaining plants. If you don't have any infected plants a copper fungicide is helpful in preventing the disease. If this cool weather persists spray every 5- 7 days. Make sure you cover the entire plant and re-apply if it rains before the spray has a chance to dry. For more information and pictures please click on www.hort.cornell.edu and then go to gardening resources. If you have any questions about the fungicide or the blight we are always here to help.
