A fast-spreading fungus has ravaged tomato crops across the Northeast and mid-Atlantic, wiping out this year's crop and causing the price of heirloom tomatoes to skyrocket by 20 percent. But the cause of the pandemic is something that's much more innocent than you might think.
In a recent New York Times column, renowned farm-to-table chef Dan Barber discusses the aggressive disease, known as late blight, that has wiped out 70 percent of this year's heirloom tomato crop. He argues that there are three contributing factors that caused the intense blight. First, a rainy Summer, moderate temperatures, and lots of humidity; second, infected tomato starter plants sold to home growers; and third, the explosion of home gardeners.
Ironically, the very community that's engaged in eating locally has set the stage for one of the worst heirloom tomato harvests in history. Barber argues that, despite what Slow Food believers might advocate, future farming must involve nonheirloom plant varieties bred to resist diseases.
The blight isn't limited to new home gardeners; even seasoned pro Martha Stewart has lamented that she lost 70 percent of the 50 different tomato varieties in her garden this year. Have you fallen victim to this year's tomato travesty? What do you think of Barber's argument?
Hanii Y
Principles
Juan Antonio Lopez
I live in southcoast MA, and my heirloom tomato has look pretty horrible all summer. It has yielded 1 tomato, and looked pretty miserable. The rain and lack of sun light has really done a number on the garden.
1My (Central Illinois) tomatoes have not done anywhere near as well this year as they have in the past. While we've certainly had enough rain, it hasn't been so hot as usual. All my friends report the same. I'm afraid they won't even get red before it turns cool. I speculate that it's that pesky 'lack of bees' problem. No fungus, though.
2wow I don't feel so bad now. I live in southern Michigan and my tomatoes aren't coming in as well as they have in the past. I figured I had done somethings wrong. But this still sucks.
3I have had a terrible harvest this year. I thought it was all the rain and lack of sun. I the soil infected now from this or can plants be put in next year? I've always tried to avoid chemicals in my garden, but my romas, have been hit particularly hard.
4This better not cut down on my BLTs............
5So Mr. Barber's solution is that if we don't grow heirloom tomatoes the blight will go away? Right. Here's a quote from the Penn State College of Agricultural Studies website:
6"The disease-causingfungus overwinters in southern frost-free areas, on winter-grown tomatoes and potatoes, and in northern areas in potato cull piles and in potato "seed." It may be introduced to tomato fields on transplants or may be wind-borne from diseased potato and tomato plants in nearby fields. Disease development is promoted by cool wet conditions." Hmmm, no mention of heirlooms. Hmmm, further no mention of home gardeners as being the purveyors of blight.
Yeah I know, home gardening might have helped spread it a little, but the other factors that cause blight sound a lot more powerful!
7(This July up in New England was nearly non-stop rain!)
This is definitely not the fault of home gardeners. The blight is spread when the weather allows it, and rainy July weather, with continued frequent rainstorms during August have done their job.
Beginner gardeners should take heart. There are fungicides out there that can stop late blight. If you see it on one plant, tear out that plant and any near it, and treat with fungicides. Don't give up!
And, as we gardeners all know, next year will be better. After this summer, it HAS to!
8can you eat the tomato from an infected plant if it is ripe and no sorts or discolor. The tomato appears normal
9From Margaret Tuttle McGrath, Department of Plant Pathology and Plant-Microbe Biology, Cornell University, Long Island Horticultural Research and Extension Center, Riverhead, NY (As stated in: PENNSYLVANIA WEEKLY VEGETABLE DISEASE UPDATE
JULY 21, 2009, BETH K. GUGINO, PENN STATE VEGETABLE PATHOLOGIST.)
ARE AFFECTED TOMATOES SAFE TO EAT?
Yes. This pathogen cannot infect people and it does not produce a toxin that can make people sick, as a few plant pathogens can do. However, considering how quickly affected tomatoes will rot, it is unlikely that they will be marketed.
10I started most of mine from seed,but did buy a few others that I really wanted.At first they done very well,I was so proud to finally have a home garden again
.....But then when it got so hot after being colder than normal temps for this time of year.It
hit my tomatoes like a ton of bricks.I thought it was something I was or perhaps not doing.I set right down and cried.It was so disappointing.So I know how all of you are feeling.I hope next
year will be a lot better.
11Thank all of you for the comments about what has helped spread this terrible blight.Helped educate me a quite a bit.
12I live in Maine and June and July were just horrible - rainy and cold. Most everyone I know that gardens had blight in very early in the season and I showed no signs of it (making me the tomato supplier to friends!) but having just gone out to my garden for the first time in three days, blight has mysteriously appeared. How on Earth did I go from healthy tomatoes to blight in 3 days? This is my first time experiencing it in 20 years of gardening and I just assumed that there would have been signs before that? Guess I was wrong.
However, I was able to grow San Marzano tomatoes this year. First time trying and they were indeed a success. They don't exactly taste like they do in Italy but they are producing better than my heirloom, plum or grape tomatoes.
Silver lining I suppose is that it is late enough in the season here now that if I have to pull the plants, it is not TOO big of a loss.
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