Potato Famine fungus hits home gardens in U.S.
| July 15, 2009 | 4:01 PM
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If, like me, you have a little Irish in you, chances are good that your ancestors were affected by the Potato Famine of the 1840s and 1850s.
The famine killed a million people in Ireland and sent another million to America as immigrants.
It was caused by “late blight,” a fungus that spreads through airborne spores and quickly ravages potato and tomato plants.
Now, late blight is showing up in backyard gardens as well as retail garden centers in the Northeast U.S., raising fears of an impact on commercial farms and organic growers.
Part of the blame for the outbreak goes to the cooler, wetter weather that much of the nation has experienced this spring and summer (see, it’s not just here!). The fungus spreads easily in such conditions.
Experts recommend that home gardeners spray their healthy tomato and potato plants with a protective fungicide containing chlorothalonil. Those who prefer an organic approach can use neem oil but would have to apply it more often.
See pictures of late blight in this slide show from the Maryland Cooperative Extension.
fungus, garden, irish potato famine, late blight, tomato
