Early Late Blight

This year, the northeast is being hit hard by an early late blight, "a plant disease that attacks potatoes and tomatoes." Chef and Owner of the Blue Hill restaurants, Dan Barber writes eloquently about the heartbreaking subject in The New York Times this Sunday. (How pretty is that accompanying illustration?!) Tomatoes in small gardens and large farms are rotting and dying. The very wet summer we are experiencing is, unfortunately, perfect for spreading blight. Also, sadly, it could be due in part to the current renewed interest in home-gardening. Firstly, home gardens dotting the area create fertile ground and easy travel between shorter distances for the disease. Additionally, a number of super-stores like Home Depot, imported infected tomato plants from the south - Without knowing what to look for (or knowing to look at all) these stores and the new home gardeners would not recognize the present blight. (Barber also makes the good point that buying imported starter plants is really not so different from buying imported tomatoes.) Barber says that in our (wonderful) renewed interest, it is vital to be vigilant. Keep gardening! But grow from seeds or buy seedlings from local growers.

My good friend Ben has done exactly that. Though some of his plants have been affected by the blight, he maintains a handsome rooftop garden with many healthy tomatoes (and he is growing the most delicious Thai Basil in Brooklyn).