Tomato Late Blight

If not for Phytophthora infestan I might have been born in Ireland, if family lore is correct. This blight features the nasty spore that infected potatoes in the 1840’s, causing a famine and driving the Irish exodus to the New World. Well, I’m here now and ironically, that same plant disease has made me hungry—for tomatoes. 
 

2004 September Tomatoes

 

2010 July Late Blight

I noticed Late Blight first in 2008. In 2009, it wiped out tomato crops bigtime in the Northeast. 2008 was the year I first noticed “cobwebs” covering anything not moving and bathing continuously. 2008 was the first year I fully awakened to the fact of chemtrailing; that webbing contains some pretty awful stuff and weakens all living things. 

2008 Mysterious Webs

2009 Infected Tomato

  I’ve looked at old photos of the Garden of Nemesis and can see only small infections of Late Blight before 2008. Every year it’s gotten progressively worse until 2013, when I lost most of my crop. I plant resistant hybrids, I rotate, I mulch, I bag and remove the bad stuff, yet it is still a plague. As far as fungicides go, I won’t kill earthworms with copper. Nor will I spray toxins that kill bees and birds and humans. I have to find another way.
 

2011 July Blight

After this year’s disappointment, I determined I must let the garden soil rest for a few years and hopefully recuperate. I can’t let the whole vegetable garden lie fallow, but there will be no tomatoes in the vegetable plot in 2014.

I spent a good amount of time and labor to prepare the front southwest corner of the lot for a small tomato patch next year. That corner was the original home of a flowering quince bush that we had to remove because the neighbor had trouble seeing to back out of her driveway. Then I planted tall prairie bloomers there because it gets good sun and it’s hard to drag the hose up there for watering. This fall, I removed everything and once again tried to dig up the roots of the old flowering quince bush, which continues to send up shoots. 

2013 Corner of Lot Before Excavation

 Once all that was done, I dug holes and added a few pieces of old firewood at the bottom for mini-hugels. Then I piled on fresh brown and green clippings and covered it with dirt. I don’t know if the compost pile is compromised, so I will add no finished compost. Is it possible there are spores in there that have managed to proliferate in spite of the fact I have never added infected plants or fruit? I just don’t know, so I will not take the chance.

It’s possible I have missed-diagnosed the problem, as my garden potatoes have had no blight. I count myself lucky there. The bottom line is this: the tomatoes will have fresh “dirt” that hasn’t grown vegetables before. I’m also thinking of adding a plant or two on the opposite side in the front, beside the strawberry bed, well away from the actual garden plot. There are few places on this property that have had no finished compost, which I assume is contributing to the problem.

2011 Tomatoes for Canning

It’s very hard to protect plants from this dread disease, short of growing inside. These spores float in the air, so it’s possible my little experiment will fail. Regardless, I have to give it the best possible chance for success. If you happen to pass by out front, you can grab a ruby orb to snack on while you walk.