Plant disease hits eastern US veggies early, hard

[ensho]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090703/ap_on_bi_ge/us_farm_scene_late_blight


Tomato plants have been removed from stores in half a dozen states as a destructive and infectious plant disease makes its earliest and most widespread appearance ever in the eastern United States.

Late blight — the same disease that caused the Irish Potato Famine in the 1840s — occurs sporadically in the Northeast, but this year's outbreak is more severe for two reasons: infected plants have been widely distributed by big-box retail stores and rainy weather has hastened the spores' airborne spread.

The disease, which is not harmful to humans, is extremely contagious and experts say it most likely spread on garden center shelves to plants not involved in the initial infection. It also can spread once plants reach their final destination, putting tomato and potato plants in both home gardens and commercial fields at risk.

Meg McGrath, professor of plant pathology at Cornell University, calls late blight "worse than the Bubonic Plague for plants."

"People need to realize this is probably one of the worst diseases we have in the vegetable world," she said. "It's certain death for a tomato plant."

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In the meantime, plant experts are warning gardeners to be on the lookout for the disease and to take quick action if it crops up. The first sign is often brown spots on plant stems, followed by nickel-sized olive-green or brown spots on the tops of leaves and fuzzy white fungal growth underneath. Tomato fruit will show firm, brown spots.
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[liberal N proud]

1. Maybe why all my wifes tomato plants have died.

[Javaman]

2. save your seeds.

here's how...

http://www.seedsave.org/issi/issi_904.html

[HopeHoops]

3. I haven't bought a plant from a big box store in many years.

I get them all at local garden centers which use either their own greenhouses or local growers. These reports come out all the time about "big box store plants". On occasion, I'll wander through their offerings and I'm shocked at how lame they are. They are also much more expensive than what the local garden centers charge for far better plants. It makes no sense to buy from them.

This is just another case where mega-huge chain business is undermining the stability of our food supply. If my tomato crop fails, I'm out a winter's worth of canned tomatoes, not to mention a summer of good eats! I grow all of my potatoes and onions for the winter and they usually keep into March or later. At least I know what is going into them and it is all organic. We do the same with our herbs. Actually, I have to get ready to make and freeze pesto base - the basil plants are attempting to take over the yard.

That's what I'll be doing this afternoon. It is easy too - chop the pesto in the food processor, move it to the blender and add the olive oil and garlic - then freeze it in ziplock bags. To use it, defrost it and put it back in the blender with pine nuts and parmesan cheese. Chives also freeze really well - just cut them up like you would to use them and pop them in the freezer in a ziplock. They defrost almost immediately when you take them out.

[doodadem]

5. I'll have to try that with my chives this year

Thanks for the tip! Any other herbs that freeze well?

[HopeHoops]

6. Not really - (read on)

We have a 20 year old American Harvest SnackMaster FD-30/50 12 tray dehydrator that has been running almost around the clock for several weeks just doing herbs. We've used it for fruits and vegetables in the past but it takes a long time. It is perfect for herbs though. We're going to give packages of dehydrated herbs for Christmas this year. We've already built an impressive supply.

Anyway, we just got an American Harvest GardenMaster 1010 with 12 trays (larger and with a 1000w fan). It makes short order of fruits! I haven't tried vegetables yet, but they are next on the list. It just arrived last week. MADE IN USA!!! Apparently it wouldn't be as good for herbs because the fan is so much stronger - they blow around unless you put a screen under and over each layer. I think we have a good pair now.

I ordered the new one from Amazon.com (no business relationship unless you go through my affiliates ID, which I am NOT posting) - much better price than anywhere else and free shipping. I don't have a relationship with American Harvest either. We beat the hell out of the first one over 20 years so I figured I couldn't go wrong getting another one.

[fasttense]

4. Oh crap.

Just when my grape and cherry tomatoes are producing a pint a day. I hope they survive.