Login
Home   
       About MOFGA
       Common Ground Education Center
       MOFGA Office
       MOFGA In The News
       Older News Archives
       Calendar

Programs
       Events
       Farm Apprenticeships
       Journeypersons
       Low Impact Forestry
       MOFGA/El Salvador Sistering Project
       Organic Farmer Loan Fund
       Public Policy Initiatives

Agricultural Services

The Fair
       General Information
          Dates & Times
          Tickets
          Getting to the Fair
          Map of Fairgrounds
          Accessibility
          No Pets Policy
          Camping & Accommodations
          School Group Info
          General Guidelines
       Featured Speakers
       Schedule of Events
       Participants
       Fair Volunteers
       Fair News
          Fair News Archives
       Areas
          Agricultural Demonstrations
          Agricultural Products
          Children's Area & Garden Parade
          Common Kitchen
          Composting & Recycling
          Country Kitchen Demos
          Crafts
          Energy & Shelter
          Entertainment
          Environmental Concerns
          Exhibition Hall
          Farm & Homestead
          Farmers' Market
          Fleece Tent
          Folk Arts
          Food
          Health & Healing
          Herb Tent
          Livestock
          Low Impact Forestry
          Maine Fiber Farms
          Maine Marketplace
          Maine Stoneworkers' Guild
          Native American Arts
          Social & Political Action
          Wednesday Spinners
          Youth Enterprise Zone
          Whole Life Tent
       Activities & Events
          Donkey and Mule Show
          Draft Horse Show
          Fleece Show
          Foot Race
          Harry S. Truman Memorial Manure Toss
          Sheep Dog Demonstrations
          Public Policy Teach-Ins
       Fair Artwork
       Fair Photos

Certification
       Information for Consumers
       Information For Producers
       Information for Processors
       Contact Us

Publications
       Maine Organic Farmer & Gardener
       Articles for Reprinting
       Books
       Directories
       Fact Sheets
       Organic Price Reports
       Pest Reports
       Reports and Technical Papers

Resources
       Links
       Find Local Foods
       Community Supported Agriculture in Maine
          CSAs By County
             CSAs in Androscoggin County
             CSAs in Aroostook County
             CSAs in Cumberland County
             CSAs in Franklin County
             CSAs in Hancock County
             CSAs in Kennebec County
             CSAs in Knox County
             CSAs in Lincoln County
             CSAs in Oxford County
             CSAs in Penobscot County
             CSAs in Piscataquis County
             CSAs in Sagadahoc County
             CSAs in Somerset County
             CSAs in Waldo County
             CSAs in Washington County
             CSAs in York County
          2009 Winter CSA's
       Power Point Presentations
       Partnerships
       Maine Harvest Lunch
       Marketing Opportunities For Maine Farmers
       Media Files

Store

Support MOFGA
       Membership
       Donations
       Volunteers
       Financial Reports
       Business Members
       MOFGA Logos

Contact
       Contact Information
       Join MOFGA Email Lists
       Staff
       Board of Directors
       Chapters
       Employment Opportunities

Search
  You are here:  PublicationsPest ReportsPest Reports - 2009   
 Support MOFGA
  

 MOFGA's 2009 Pest Reports - Compiled by Eric Sideman, PhD Minimize
Late Blight Recap | September 3 | August 12 | July 22 | July 13 | June 25 | June 19 | June 14 | June 1 | May 19
 
Show as single page
Late Blight Recap - 2009

It all started when the big box stores brought diseased seedlings into the Northeast from down south and sold them to gardeners. With ideal weather conditions for survival, spores spread from these plants and by the end of the summer every corner of the region had late blight.

During the season the best organic farmers managed late blight with copper sprays to save their crops and reduce the amount of spores blowing in the wind infecting other plantings. It is important to note that only a few copper products are approved for use on organic crops. Organic growers should contact their certifiers before using any materials to make sure they are allowed.

In addition, farmers and gardeners pulled and destroyed or buried diseased plants to reduce the amount of spores blowing in the wind and infecting other plantings.

Now that the growing season is coming to an end, there is less to worry about. Late blight only over winters in Maine in living crop tissue, i.e., spores do not survive in soil or crop debris or on stakes or in mulch.

The pathogen only survives outdoors here in potato tubers.

So, fall clean up is easy for this disease.
  • Allow all plant debris to freeze.
  • Avoid composting or piles that may prevent freezing.
  • Next spring use clean potato seed and scout for potato volunteers.
If you do this, and everyone does this, you should be fine and free of late blight.
Late Blight Recap | Page 1 of 10 | September 3
 Print   

Home | Programs | Agricultural Services | The Fair | Certification | Publications | Resources | Store | Support MOFGA | Contact | Search
  Copyright (c) 2010 Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association   Terms Of Use  Privacy Statement    Site by Planet Maine