New England
July, 2012
Regional Report
Web Finds
Late Blight on Tomatoes
Late blight has reared its ugly head in New England as of mid-July, so be on the lookout for early symptoms in your tomato and potato plantings. For color pictures of symptoms, along with information on dealing with this troublesome fungus-like disease, go to Tomato Late Blight from UMass Extension.
Clever Gardening Technique
Vacation Garden Care
It can be a challenge to make sure container plantings and hanging baskets don't dry out while you are away. If you don't have a reliable plant sitter, move plants to a shaded, wind-sheltered location and water well right before you leave. Remove any saucers that might hold standing water so that pots won't be left sitting in water after a rain. Weed outdoor garden beds shortly before you leave and give everything a good soaking. Unless you can entice a neighbor with the offer of free veggies to come in and pick regularly, harvest all vegetables that are likely to be overripe before your return, such as zucchini, beans, and cukes, even if they aren't mature yet. This will prevent plants from getting the signal to stop producing.
