This summer I purchased an heirloom tomato plant. It started off great. But look at it now. Very sad. Only two tomatoes. I thought it was me who failed the tomatoes, but it seems there's a blight in Southern Ontario destroying crops, especially organically grown crops, even those grown by experienced farmers.
"Ms. Sosnicki's entire crop of field tomatoes near Waterford, Ont., about 130 kilometres southwest of Toronto, was destroyed this year by late blight – the same fungus responsible for the Irish potato famine. Spores of the fungus have scattered across much of Southern and Eastern Ontario, and the Northeastern United States.
The cool, wet conditions in the last few months has amounted to what agriculturalists call 'the year without a summer.'"
From Thursday's Aug. 20, 2009 Globe and MailBeing a tomato lover, I was disappointed the heirloom plant became blighted. I just love home grown tomatoes. They have that "umami" flavour that you just can't get from tomatoes purchased elsewhere, unless they're direct from a local farm. I did, however, get a nice tomato surprise. Last year's tomato plants reseeded and those pictured to the right arrived this year. They look much better than the heirloom, but we'll see if they last until they're ready to pick.
For more about blight, this FAQ is an interesting read.
It's here too. I think I just identified it on one of my plants. Ah well, we'll figure it out I suppose. Even the Irish eat something now.
ReplyDeleteYou have posted wonderful picture of early tomatoes on your blog. It was nice going through your blog. Keep it up the good work.
ReplyDeleteLate blight is always around, but this year seems to be blightier. I've noticed it in the farmers' markets, if nowhere else. Not very much happening in the tomato department, which is astonishing at this time of year.
ReplyDeleteThe year without summer, eh? We did have about a week of it... in August. Now the nip is in the air, and I'm having doubts that my own late-planted tomatoes will ever bear anything more than green fruit.
Thanks for reminding me of that great word, umami.
Yes, I remember that one week of summer. Sigh. Between the zucchini taking over and the blight, my small attempt at growing veggies has been disappointing. But there'e always next year.
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