This summer’s wet weather has caused some problems for some tomato and potato plant gardeners.
Eastern Michigan tomato plants may experience a disease called late blight, that it is caused by a fungus-like organism or watermold, said MSU Extension educators.
“In general in the last three months, plants have been really good with the usual blossom-end rot, a disorder, some early blight and bacterial disease affecting tomatoes, but unfortunately we’re getting late blight reports from Macomb and Genesee counties,” said Lina Rodriguez, MSU commercial vegetable crop educator.
According MSU Extension, plant leaves and fruit with late blight often appears dark, water soaked or oily with production of spores occurring on the undersides of the leaves in the early morning, resulting in a purplish appearance –– especially when conditions are wet and humid. Blackened lesions on the stems also occur and are unique to late blight disease.
“Blight has the potential to be widespread because of these cool, rainy days and the airborne nature of the seeds of the pathogen, ” said Rodriguez. “Gardeners should be aware of the symptoms, report occurrences and understand this destructive disease.”
Read about late blight spray recommendations at veggies.msu.edu/Research/TomatoLBSprayRec.pdf.
Oakland County has experienced a cooler than normal summer, said Danny Costello, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in White Lake.
For the Detroit region this summer, temperatures have been down a degree on average, he said.
Since June 1, the county has had 9.59 inches of rain , slightly above average.
“The grass here at the weather station is green and lush,” said Costello.
“Normally in August, it’s like a hayfield.”
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By Carol Hopkins
@OPCarolHopkins on Twitter
This year’s tomato crop is coming in, and tomato fans everywhere are cheering.
“The crop is late because of the cool weather,” said Ron Goldy, MSU Extension educator.
Michigan is among the top 20 states for production of tomatoes and potatoes, said Goldy.
During Michigan’s summer growing season, 8,000 to 10,000 acres are devoted to tomatoes.
“Nothing signifies summer more than a fully ripe tomato and sweet corn,” he said, “and they come together at the same time.
“People can’t wait to get them from the gardens.”
Goldy advised, once you bring the tomatoes home, “never put them in a refrigerator.”
Eric Cooper in Milford has a large garden and most of his tomatoes, he said, are still green.
“They’re starting to ripen. We’ve had a lot of cherry tomatoes,” he said.
The plants themselves are “huge,” he said, due to the rain and his horse-manure fertilizer.
Midge Davidson of Sylvan Lake eats homegrown tomatoes “like an apple –– wash and chomp.”
Giorgiana Springsteen wrote on Facebook that she “lives on tomatoes, feta cheese and cucumbers all summer.”
Her husband, David Springsteen, said his favorite way to down a ripe tomato is in a bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich.
Lauri Smith of Waterford cuts them in half and eats them, she said.
Kelly Babcock of Madison Heights wrote, “Salt. Fork. Knife. Yum.”
Ron Karvonen of Waterford regards them “like candy!”