Image from La Tomatina in Spain fro webEcoist , perhaps this is what we will end up doing with our tomatoes next twelvemonth ?
Of all garden grown produce , it is the tomato , which reigns supreme , for nothing savour as delicious and as good as a family grown tomato . Right ?
But then , there came last year ’s about Nation wide , other and virulent outbreak of Late Blight . And short , it seems that Big Boy and Better Boy are n’t going to be right enough , what we might end up ask is something like a Burpee ’s Bubble Boy , the ultimate disease Free tomato of the future tense tolerant to everything .
In 2009 , in much of the US , everything seemed to change overnight when it comes to growing tomatoes . The egression of a disease , which seemed to spread like wild fire , belt down or maimed most every plant from Florida to Michigan , to Maine . Many of us wondered , “ Is it even deserving grow tomatoes at all ? ”
The season started off affirmative , with many nursing home gardeners upgrade their own plants , many turning to organic method acting , and even more first clip vegetable garden growers giving the saving . Even the White House had a veggie garden . It started to find like the Victory Garden age in the 1940 ’s , with grower planning to can , preserve and freeze their nutrient - rich treasure . But by mid - July , everything switch , at least the Lycopersicon esculentum and potatoes did .
2009 was a landmark year , for the pathogen the causes a disease called Late Blight seemed to scatter overnight , start out in the mid - Atlantic states , and then throughout the North East killing most tomato plants in what seemed , every ones garden , even Martha Stewart ’s . We learned , finally , in tidings story that there we ’re a turn of causes , and fingers started to be orient at everything from the unseasonal weather ( cool and wet ) to the big box stores like Wal Mart and Home Depot , who were reportedly selling plants that had propagate the spore that could be trace to a single sweeping raiser in Georgia .
Now , in early 2010 , as many of us design what we are going to plant in our home vegetable gardens this summer , some of us are review whether we should our even could , uprise tomatoes ever again . Since last year I had to yank my 14 varieties of heirloom plants by mid July , and had no tomatoes to can or put - up , I too am thinking “ What am I going to do this twelvemonth ? ”
So I ’ve been doing some on-line inquiry , and what I found has been interesting , and a little center initiative . Both , about the causes and newly obtain facts about Late Blight and the pathogen that reserve it to grow ( Phytophthora infestans ) and then , some fact on what we can , and can not do to make do this disease . Then , I ran some numbers on what it would in reality be to raise a tomato in today ’s environment , organically .
First , some facts about Late Blight . Mostly from this excellent paper write byMargaret Tuttle McGrath , from the Department of Plant Pathology and Plant Microbe Biology at Cornell University . This situation is updated frequently with newly found fact , and we should all read it .
1 . Is Late Blight a New Disease ? No . Many of us now hump that Late Blight , is the same extremely destructive disease that caused the capital Potato Famine in Ireland in the 1840 ’s . It affects both Potatoes and Tomatoes , and it has been in the US everywhere for over 100 year .
2 . Why did many of us get the disease last year?In many direction , 2009 offered conditions much like “ The Perfect Storm ” . A cold , wet spring , mass distribute infected plants that could spread the spores , and fiddling fair weather .
3 . Will the disease appear again this year?It ’s hard to assure , but most likely it will , since it tends to come along late ( the Late part in Late Blight ) , perhaps in the early autumn , when moisture and temporary are staring for the increment of the spore . But here is the surprising fact , according to the Cornell report , the blight does not occur every class in many locations , in fact , on Long Island , in has only appear 4 time in 20 years .
SO what can we do to help oneself avoid it this yr ?
OK , first , a few more answer to questions you may be asking .
1 . Am I better off start my own tomato plant plant life from ejaculate rather than by buying them from a nursery?Perhaps , but aboveboard , it credibly does n’t make a conflict , unless the plants you buy from a nursery have the disease , as some did last year . Since the virus can not live on seeds , both author are safe from the root . Like a coldness , your plants are not endure to catch a cold if you keep them dependable and not exposed to an septic plant “ Sneezing ” if you will , and giving them the spores . This is unlikely to happen in a typical year . For even plant grown in Northern nurseries could not possibly have the disease , unless it egress early , again . I would perhaps avoid southerly grown plant , but remember , the shape last year included conditions , for a few , hot gay days could have change much of this .
2 . Should I be looking at sterilizing my dirt in the garden , or burning last years plants ? What is my neighbor never draw their infected plants ? I heard that the spore are in our land , and can open for miles anyway . so why bother ?
Here ’s some more surprising truth . The pathogens which cause Late Blight can not know in insensate soil , and they die in the compost pile at 110 arcdegree F , which is well below what most compost piles pass on , so there is no pauperism to sterilize your garden soil , or to chastise your lazy neighbour for not cleaning up their garden .
The disease can only live in live plant tissue , so if your garden freezes solid , and you plants flex to much , you are fine , at least from this one pathogen . Care must be take in greenhouses where the disease can live in live tomato plants , or , in other Solanum tissue , such as your rest home produce potatoes in the home , or cellar . Do not replant these hot tissue plants into your garden , or you will be reintroducing the disease .
3 . Should I sterilize my garden post ? Or , even use them again ? What about containers and soiless mixture ? I take heed that tomato arise well in unimaginative soil , and that I should substitute it each year ?
There is no need to sterilize stakes , tomato cages or tummy each year , since the pathogen can not live outdoors of live plant tissue paper . That said , there are a host of other diseases like Fusarium , etc , that would be shoot down with a 5 % bleach solution wash , but that is up to you . For the subject of this station , there is no demand to sterilize anything . you’re able to not ‘ Disinfect something which is not , infect . Plain , and unsubdivided . As for sterile soil . it is true that sterile filth helps with many plant life disease , especially for love apple acculturation , and many tomatoes live longer in , permit ’s say , ProMix , than in the garden , so I would be safe , and apply new grunge , not to avoid Phytophthora infestans , as much as other pathogens and disease .
In the garden , it is always fresh to keep your garden clean , but there is no need to sterilize with pitch-black plastic first , or wash your cage . Plant as usual , and then mulch with plastic or straw , to keep the soil from splash on the lower foliation , for other disease can spread . If there is another irruption , there is not much you may do anyway .
4 . OK . If there is another outbreak , and if I see discredited leaves , what can I do?Since this disease is so fast-growing and fierce , I in person would give the craw again . But if you want to save it , perhaps , if the crop is infect late in the time of year , you’re able to try murder all infected parts every day , and spray with an constitutional antifungal , but there is not much you’re able to do , and the disease is latent by 4 days , so once you have it for the year , you are stuck with it .
5 . Why did my local farm stand have tomatoes and I didn’t?Commercial growers are more belligerent in managing their crops . We can all take a hint from the big commercial organic growers , and spray with an organic antimycotic weekly BEFORE the disease is reported . This management program is decisive , since , once your plants show sign of foliage embrown , it is too late . The ground you experience tomatoes at most farm stands last twelvemonth , is that most commercial operation use non - organic antifungal ( not to be confused with insecticides ) , which are stronger and more in force in controlling the fungus like disease .
Here is an odd fact about the spore I should take down : For now , in the North East , we are safe , but know this ; Although they are neither male nor distaff , they do need to reproduce . Biologists call these spores “ mating - types ” or Oospores . These special social system , if formed , can countenance the disease to hold out the wintertime in the soil without live flora tissue paper , and perhaps will be something to look for in the future tense , but for the moment , these Oospores have only been report in Florida in both coupling types , so for now , we in the north , are dependable . Another rationality to stick tuned to effort in transmissible plant education efforts , like Monsanto , as they try out with genetically change research , it can be in effect , or disastrously bad . ( I never was one of those cabal theorists , but after watch the film Food Inc , I ’m starting to think differently ) .
6 . Is this copper fungicide , which is supposed to be constitutive , safe to eat?Reportedly it is . But it is still safe to lap it off , which is easy with water . And , it ’s another reason why you want to spray every 7 days , it washed off to easy . The blue rest may seem shuddery , but atomic number 29 fungicide is a open treatment , a “ contact antifungal agent ’ and it is not absorbed through the prison cell wall of plant . Human consumption according to the RDA is safe , see the Cornell Report for specific information , but unless you have a rare copper color sensible disease , it is weigh harmless to humanity .
SO , this take us to what we might do this year regarding home grown tomatoes . Simply , it appear that any seed is secure , and that perhaps , home grown plants in good , sterile grunge is the safest wager . In our modernistic world , there are some mixture which are more resistant to the disease , so I researched and find which ones ( see below ) . Although many heirlooms are pop , many are also more susceptible to disease , but in regards to this specific one , mixed bag is either “ resistant ” or not . There is no in between , so grow what you require , and hybridise your fingers .
I ’ve also been thinking if it is even deserving growing your own tomatoes . I mean , does is even make sense financially ?
At my local farm stand , which is not organic , field grown heirloom tomatoes are $ 5.00 a pound in season , and even tomatoes are $ 3.99 at the cheapest workweek , the first week of September . In our nearest organic supermarket , a Whole Foods in Framingham , MA , heirlooms were being betray at $ 8.99 per lb in August , peak tomato season . They were $ 10.99 per lb . in July .
Last year , I purchased 14 smorgasbord of seed , some newfangled containers from Garden Supply Company , and some new cages , at important cost . Then , there was the price of the ProMix . I express joy a little and joked with my friends that I am kick the bucket to get the most expensive tomatoes in the world . But this year , I really had to think about not only the cost , but whether is was even worth the fourth dimension and effort , if all I was move to do was to yank my yellowish , diseased plants and thrash them by July . After this research , I am more bright about a adequate harvest of tomatoes , if the weather , and disease spores bet along , but still , there is the cost matter … .. so , I wonder , what do my tomatoes cost ?
Let ’s see …
First , I would have a strategy , and mine is this : Grow mostly disease resistant varieties , and there are a few , that are resistant to Late Blight . I’m move to buy the seminal fluid of the high tone ( non genetically modified ) organically develop seed of the newest hybrid varieties like Johnny ’s Selected Seeds ’ JT0 - 99197 , a sexy sound name for one of their blight resistive variety , and then , there is this handy chart append on linehereby Cornell University , which heel the major tomato smorgasbord , and their disease immunity ( note – there are NO kind of tomato plant that are completely immune to the early or former blight , only some that are resistant- then , ingredient in weather stipulation , soil , moisture , air borne pathogens , etc ) .
allot to the Cornell document , there are only a few varieties that are ‘ resistive to Early Blight , and/or Late Blight . alas , a few if not most of these are not resistant or resistant to other Lycopersicon esculentum disease like Fusarium wilts , etc , but I will take my probability . There were a few surprises on this list , chiefly the kind known as ‘ Juliet ’ , a small indeterminate ( prospicient vine ) plum case introduced in the preceding decade . Juliet is resistant to both disease , so that is on my inclination .
The other tomatoes are here , expose out by the disease they are most resistant to .
other Blight Resistant Varieties
JTO-99197 ( From Johnny ’s Selected Seeds)JulietMatt ’s Wild CherryManalucieManyelMt . Fresh Plus F1Tommy ToeOld Brook
Varieties immune to Late Blight
Golden SweetJulietLegend
then , I will grow my plants in both garden soil in the garden , with mulch , and in containers with sterile soil .
I will fertilize not with a high atomic number 7 plant food ( like MiracleGRO ) but with one which is high-pitched in Phosphorus , starting right from the beginning . This is important , in build strong , healthy plants .
Most importantly , I will ground a routine constituent spray of a Fungicide BEFORE I see any hint of disease , in an effort to keep my plant growing as tidy as ever . finally , they will succumb , but hopefully , they will survive until previous September .
Now , the cost . Here is my shopping tilt .
$ 148.00 Clean Soil ( 4 bales sterilized ProMix ) $ 37.00 for start and mature plants$29.95 4 units of elephantine plastic cells at $ 12.95 ( or a dirt black Lord for $ 29.95)$79.95 1 heat mat @ $ 79.95$50.00 Tomato Seed – Budget $ 50.00$29.90 Plastic mulch for garden grown mixed bag ( biodegradable ) $ 14.95 per 32’unit x 2two more plastic containers from Garden Supply $ 29.00 each$45.00 Floating Row Cover for Modern plants 83′ at $ 45.00$39.95 Wooden Plant Tags 1 unit of measurement $ 39.95$37.95 Dustin Mizer dust spray $ 37.95$119.00 Solo Back Pack Sprayer $ 119.00$155.00 Oxidate ® 2.5 Gal . to mix for organic control of fungus $ 155.00$99.00 Actinovate organic control for foliar disease $ 99.00 $ 155.00Champ ® Copper hydroxide , the agio restraint for love apple that is constitutive , 20 lb for $ 155.00$108.00 for 8 Tomato Grow Bags from Gardeners Supply , $ 14.95 each ( $ 13.50 if more than 2)$93.90 Tomato coop for tomato grow bag , 4 for $ 46.95$94.50 Sea Com , no nitrogen constitutional fertilizer- born Sea Weed , the best for love apple , $ 94.50Stakes
terrific total for proper supplies to grow disease resistant tomatoes is$1285.10 . give take a hundred for substitute the unnecessary wooden plant tag end or heating gym mat . Still , this was the list I made last dark , and this was the total for just growing tomatoes . Not cukes , or beans , but just for tomato .
And that of course does not let in string , weewee , heat , Labour Party , etc . OK , If I produce 16 tomato plant plants , 8 in container , and 8 in the ground spaced at the recommended distance of 36 inch apart , and assuming that I get 15 tomatoes per industrial plant , that would be roughly 240 tomatoes . Alright , some are cherry tree , but let ’s not go there . Now , I will labialise out the number to 250 tomatoes , being affirmative . This brings the total tomato plant monetary value , per tomato , to bring the cost of each fine , perfect tomato to ,
here is the moment of true statement …… .
$ 5.14 per love apple .
hmm … . !
Not spoilt , really . I did n’t expect to get this solution , since I was thinking , peradventure $ 100 per tomato ! Perhaps it is n’t such a big deal to grow your own love apple , fall in the comparing with local in - season marketplace and quality , at least , I will fuck what give out into mine , and yes , I can thin out costs with the lilliputian affair like containers , originative stakes and label .
In the ending , I will still try growing Lycopersicon esculentum . anathemise it , I will ! And , I ’ll even splurge on the fancy wooden labels , what the Hell ! They deserve it . Heck , I merit it .
