July 2009
Monthly Archive
Friday 31 Jul 2009
From Chuck Bornt 7/15:
For those of you that just read Abby’s message with the counties in NY with late blight, you can add Columbia County, NY to the list as I confirmed it in two organic tomato fields and one organic potato field.
>From Maire Ullrich 7/7:
In New York she has found late blight on every farm she visited in the southern, central, and western parts of Orange county.
Massachusetts (Hampshire Co.)
Pennsylvania (Bradford Co.)
Connecticut (Middlesex County)
Late Blight Update for NYS
from: Abby Seaman PH: 315-787-2422
WNY Vegetable IPM Educator FAX: 315-787-2360
NYS IPM Program
630 W. North St. Geneva, NY 14456
If you have identified late blight in your county contact Abby ASAP.
Late Blight Online Resources:
Meg McGrath has updated article
posted a lot of up to date photos and info, including a link to the horticulture dept blog post about late blight: http://www.longislandhort.cornell.edu/vegpath/photos/lateblight_tomat o.htm
The Cornell Plant Disease Clinic has info and instructions for submitting samples: http://plantclinic.cornell.edu/Sample%20Type%20Pages/late_blight.htm
Bill Fry’s lab site. The three links at the bottom of the home page are particularly useful: http://ppathw3.cals.cornell.edu/Fry/
And of course, Veg MD online: http://vegetablemdonline.ppath.cornell.edu/factsheets/Potato_LateBlt. htm
Sandra Jensen Tracy:
I’ve made a slight change to the PDDC Late Blight fact sheet at: http://plantclinic.cornell.edu/FactSheets/lateblight/late.htm. I have added a list of chlorothalonil products registered for home garden use in NYS and a link to the Vegetable Guidelines for commercial production. There are at least two other disease problems (Early Blight and Septoria Leaf Spot) on tomato that are being mistaken for Late Blight—but there is also a lot of LB. The products listed may be used for all three diseases. I hope this will help with some of the calls you may be receiving.
New Reports this past week:
From Ann Hazelrigg 7/27:
Seems like late blight really blew north in the last group of storms in Vermont. It has been confirmed now on tomato at a large organic farm(s) in Chittenden county (Burlington)
From Jude Boucher 7/23:
On 7/21 I found a field of tomatoes in Windom County in CT that was mostly destroyed by late blight (about 2-4 acres). Also confirmed it on the largest tomato fields in New Haven county today 7/22. I checked 4 farms in New London County early this week and wonders of wonders they were all clean!
From Ruth Hazzard 7/22:
Late blight has been found or reported in farm fields in the following counties of Massachusetts within the past week: Berkshire (tomato), Franklin (potato), Middlesex (tomato, three locations), Bristol (tomato), Norfolk (tomato). In Franklin, the potato field was completely lost and has been mowed down. Two tomato fields were completely lost. Growers are trying to save later plantings of tomatoes. Has spread very rapidly in unsprayed tomato at a CSA in Middlesex Co, in both tomato and potato.
From Teresa Rusinek 7/22
So this week we have been swamped with tomato samples from Gardeners in Ulster County, almost all confirmed as Late Blight. More commercial farms reporting LB, all but one are organically oriented. I’m seeing lesions in P and T plantings alike. Was out scouting this AM , the sporulation is outrageous!
PREVIOUS REPORTS:
Week of 7/14-22
>From Robert Hadad, 7/22
Found LB in two fields of potatoes in Niagara Cty., NY
Found LB in two fields of potatoes in Niagara Cty., NY
From Dale Young 7/21
Found Late Blight on potatoes in a home garden in the town ship of Scriba in Oswego county, NY today.
Late Blight was also reported on a commercial field of potatoes in the Sodus area of Wayne County, NY on Monday.
From John Mishanec 7/21:
This morning we found late blight on tomatoes on two farms in Schoharie County, NY. Both farms had protective fungicides on the crops. On the larger plants with huge canopies, the spots were on the inner leaves while on the smaller plants that could get better coverage, the spots were on the stems.
From Vern Grubinger 7/17:
LB in southern and central VT at commercial farms on conventional field tomato and organic potato, respectively; also several homeowners in central Vermont where garden infections appear to have originated with purchased tomato plants from box store.
From Teresa Rusinek 7/17
Confirmed 3 more farms with LB in Ulster this AM
All three are Organic, many fewer lesions where copper was sprayed. At one farm potato field was loaded (in a dead air corner of the farm) while the tomatoes and other potatoes elsewhere looked clean. In this case grower is flaming down section of potato field and spraying heavily with copper on the rest.
From Bess Dicklow 7/15:
Late Blight confirmed in Hampden County, Massachusetts on commercial tomato field.
From Teresa Rusinek 7/15
Up until today, i only found LB in box stores on tomato (in Ulster Co., NY), this AM I found it in the field. Amish paste has many more infections than Primetime growing side by side, the potatoes looked clean, growing Katahdins, Corollas, Nardonna.
From Abby Seaman 7/15:
I found late blight on one tomato plant in a home garden in Avon, Livingston county, NY. Just a few lesions on the lower leaves of one plant. The plants were from a local garden center, not a national chain.
From Chuck Bornt 7/15:
For those of you that just read Abby’s message with the counties in NY with late blight, you can add Columbia County, NY to the list as I confirmed it in two organic tomato fields and one organic potato field.
New York Counties with late blight reports: (Please note that this list only reflects counties from which samples have been submitted to the Cornell diagnostic lab or have reported on the late blight listserv. Late blight may be present in additional counties)
Albany
Cattaraugus
Chenango
Clinton
Columbia
Cortland
Dutchess
Erie
Essex
Franklin
Fulton
Genesee
Jefferson
Lewis
Livingston
Monroe
Nassau
Niagara
Oneida
Onondaga
Ontario
Orange
Oswego
Orleans
Otsego
Putnam
Rensselear
Saratoga
Schenectady
St. Lawrence
Steuben
Suffolk
Tioga
Tompkins
Ulster
Warren
Washington
Wayne
Westchester
Cattaraugus
Chenango
Clinton
Columbia
Cortland
Dutchess
Erie
Essex
Franklin
Fulton
Genesee
Jefferson
Lewis
Livingston
Monroe
Nassau
Niagara
Oneida
Onondaga
Ontario
Orange
Oswego
Orleans
Otsego
Putnam
Rensselear
Saratoga
Schenectady
St. Lawrence
Steuben
Suffolk
Tioga
Tompkins
Ulster
Warren
Washington
Wayne
Westchester
Wyoming
Week of 7/7-14
From Chris Smart 7/14
I just confirmed late blight on potato and tomato from Genesee County NY. The fields were close to one another, with more disease in the tomato than in potato.
I just confirmed late blight on potato and tomato from Genesee County NY. The fields were close to one another, with more disease in the tomato than in potato.
>From Molly Shaw 7/14:
Saw a nasty case of late blight on tomatoes in Apalachin, Tioga county (NY), this morning. Nearby potatoes still looked good. Checked tomatoes in nearby Owego and they’re still clean.
>From Amy Ivy 7/14:
Richard Gast in Franklin Co (NY) reports another potato grower has some fields infested.
>From Meg McGrath 7/13:
(Long Island, NY)
Local inspector just called to report finding LB affected plants in a store.
Couple more reports of LB: 2 farms, organic potato and tomato. Plus gardeners reporting now that they have seen photos in the paper.
>From Jude Boucher, 7/10
If you haven’t seen it on commercial farms yet, you should know that late blight is starting to snowball in CT. I have found it on 5 of the last 10 farms I have visited in the CT River Valley. Joan confirmed it from first farm at the UConn lab.
Week of 6/30-7/7:
Commercial farms and home gardens week of 7/7:
>From John Mishanec 7/7:
In New York in Albany county – one farm with two very infected tomato fields, one potato field not infected. Also a confirmed report from Dutchess Co. on tomatoes on an organic farm and an unconfirmed report from Fulton Co. from another organic farm, crop not reported.
>From John Mishanec 7/7:
In New York in Albany county – one farm with two very infected tomato fields, one potato field not infected. Also a confirmed report from Dutchess Co. on tomatoes on an organic farm and an unconfirmed report from Fulton Co. from another organic farm, crop not reported.
>From Maire Ullrich 7/7:
In New York she has found late blight on every farm she visited in the southern, central, and western parts of Orange county.
>From Chuck Bornt 7/7:
In New York on tomatoes at commercial farms in Albany, Rensselaer, and Washington counties.
>From Maire Ullrich 7/3:
In New York in tomatoes and potatoes on a larger acreage organic farm in Orange County
>From Monica Roth 7/3:
In New York on tomatoes in a community garden in Tompkins Co.
Garden centers week of 7/7:
Additional NY counties: Warren, Saratoga, Fulton, Oneida
Week of 6/23-30:
Commercial farms and home gardens:
>From Chris Smart 6/30:
In New York, late blight has been found in two commercial potato fields, one in Wayne Co., and one in Genesee Co.
>From Chris Smart 6/30:
In New York, late blight has been found in two commercial potato fields, one in Wayne Co., and one in Genesee Co.
Forwarded by Steve Johnson 6/29:
Late Blight has been confirmed in four potato fields in the Monteregie area, south of Montreal, Quebec
>From Beth Gugino 6/26:
In Pennsylvania, 3 acres of potatoes in Lancaster Co., and tomatoes and potatoes in a large garden in Centre Co.
>From Sharon Douglas 6/26:
In Connecticut, on tomato in community gardens in West Hartford and Wethersfield (Hartford County)
>From Sally Miller 6/25:
In Ohio, late blight on a tomato plant purchased from a store in Franklin County (Columbus)
>From Beth Gugino 6/24:
In Pennsylvania, from a commercial grower on potato and tomato and on tomato in in a garden, both in Blair Co.
>From Meg McGrath 6/24:
On Long Island, on tomatoes in a home garden.
Infected tomato transplants have been reported in garden centers in several states:
New York: Chautauqua, Chenango, Clinton, Cortland, Erie, Franklin, Jefferson, Lewis, Monroe, Ontario, Orange, Orleans, Saratoga, Schenectady, Suffolk, Tompkins, Ulster counties
(For non-NYers, the counties on this list represent areas from northern NY to Long Island and western NY to eastern NY.)
Massachusetts (Hampshire Co.)
Pennsylvania (Bradford Co.)
Connecticut (Middlesex County)
Infected tomato transplants were also found in garden centers in Bangor, Houlton and Presque Isle, Maine
Week of 6/16-23:
>From Meg McGrath 6/23:
Late Blight on Long Island in commercial potatoes
>From Beth Gugino and Sara May 6/18:
Late blight on potato and tomato from a garden in Bedford, Co., PA
>From Andy Wyenandt 6/18
Late blight has been found on tomato in southern New Jersey.
Friday 31 Jul 2009
BROADLEAVED SHRUBS AND SHADE TREES
Friday 31 Jul 2009
USDA Master Gardeners Available to Help Americans Grow Safe, Healthy Food Throughout the Country
WASHINGTON, July 9, 2009 – Looking for some free gardening advice? Has your well-intentioned ‘green thumb’ resulted in your garden looking a little brown? USDA has a cadre of volunteers who provide free gardening tips and have a wealth of science-based research to answer your questions. Trained by USDA’s Cooperative Extension Service, Master Gardeners provide information in all 50 states, plus the District of Columbia. To find a local Master Gardeners, visit www.extension.org/pages/Extension_Master_Gardener .
“Master Gardeners are a valuable resource for people who want to get some tips on gardening and growing their own food from a real expert,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “Growing fruits and vegetables in your own garden not only promotes a healthier lifestyle, but helps communities develop a safe, nutritious and sustainable source of food.”
Full articles continues here
Friday 31 Jul 2009
AmpleHarvest.org campaign
From: Gary Oppenheimer, ,Master Gardener AmpleHarvest.org Founder, Rutgers Environmental Steward gary@AmpleHarvest.org 973-409-4093
AmpleHarvest.org’s goal is to diminish hunger in America by enabling backyard gardeners around the country to find neighborhood food pantries eager for their excess garden produce – more important than ever because one out of eight Americans is food insecure. Due to the AmpleHarvest.org design, it is not only helpful to gardeners looking for a local food pantry, it can also be used by the pantries themselves to list those store bought items they are most in need of – making the site of value to gardeners off season as well as those who don’t garden at all too.
The campaign has been endorsed by the USDA, Google Inc., VFW, YMCA, Garden Writers of America, food/hunger bloggers, numerous faith groups etc. A sampling of some of the enthusiast feedback is available at www.AmpleHarvest.org/feedback.php.
For the past two months, a major effort to register food pantries around the country has been underway. Nearly one out of every 50 food pantries in America have registered and more are signing up every day.
However we are now starting to shift our focus to informing America’s backyard gardeners about AmpleHarvest.org, and very much need the assistance of your Master Gardeners to help spread the word. There are several ways they can do that. They can:
- share the information with other Master Gardeners
- inform gardeners who call in to the Help Lines
- tell garden clubs and community gardens in their communities about the AmpleHarvest.org campaign
- ask their local nursery, garden store, and lawn/garden section of their local big box store permission to post the attached document (also available at www.ampleharvest.org/downloads/GardenShop.pdf ) by the cashier or in another conspicuous area. It can also be posted on library and supermarket bulletin boards.
Of course if the Master Gardener knows of a food pantry in their community, they are also encouraged to urge the pantry to register itself on AmpleHarvest.org.
We are available to answer any questions your Master Gardeners may have about the campaign – they can email info@AmpleHarvest.org or they can visit the site where additional valuable information about AmpleHarvest.org is available.
We would very much appreciate it if you would forward this message to all of the Master Gardeners in your program as soon as possible.
Although the economy is bad, AmpleHarvest.org helps people support their local food pantry by enabling them to reach into their backyard instead of their back pocket.
Friday 31 Jul 2009
2009 NY Master Forest Owner Volunteer Program (MFO)
note from Diana Bryant
This year we will be conducting a volunteer training workshop on: Sept. 9 – 13, at Cornell University’s Arnot Teaching and Research Forest VanEtten, NY (south of Ithaca in Schuyler Co.)
Applications due by Aug. 19, 2009
Volunteers can commute daily, or accommodations are available free. There is a $50 fee for attendance to help defray lodging, publications, food, and equipment costs of the 4-day training. Both workshops combine classroom and outdoor field experiences on a wide variety of subjects including; tree identification, finding boundaries, forest ecology, sawtimber economics, wildlife and sawtimber management, communication techniques, and a visit to a nearby sawmill.
If you know clientele you have worked with, or people from your association (including yourself) who would make good volunteers, please send me their names and addresses and we will send them an informational packet about the program and an application form. More information about the program is on the MFO website www.cornellmfo.info. Promotional information and application forms regarding the training are on that site by clicking on Volunteer Solicitation Materials. Please consider using the press release in your organization’s e-mail releases and/or newsletters.
The goal of the MFO Program is to provide private, nonindustrial forest owners with the information and encouragement necessary to manage their forests to enhance ownership satisfaction. MFOs do not perform management activities nor give professional advice. Rather, they meet with forest owners to listen to their concerns and questions, and offer advice as to sources of assistance based on their training and personal experience. The success of this volunteer program is grounded in the power of “peer” counseling. Knowledgeable and experienced forest owner neighbors can interact as unbiased peers with less-experienced forest owners. There are 199 active volunteers across NYS who annually interact directly with hundreds of neighbors and indirectly with thousands through various outreach activities, such as newspaper articles, educational workshops and work with youth groups. These informed and dedicated volunteers are a great resource in their communities to assist other organizations and agencies in promoting the wise use of forest resources.
Please take a moment as soon as possible to jot down a few candidates or forward this request directly to candidates. Your help is critical to the continued success of the MFO Program and contributes greatly to our collective mission of involving forest owners in wise stewardship.
Thank you very much!
Please send candidate Names and Addresses to:
Diana Bryant, 108 Fernow Hall, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853
Phone: 607-255-2115, FAX: 607-255-2815, E-mail: dlt5@cornell.edu