Home gardeners spread plant diseases. . .

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Permalink Reply by Kyle Gassman on August 9, 2009 at 3:28pm

Yeah Right.Cooler conditions wouldn't have a thing to do with this condition. We've been seeing summmers in my area for the past cuople of years cooler tha normal. This is setting the stage for the wilt that most every one is experiencing. Jeez, are we getting a story now from Monsanto/Sygenta that would steer us away from trying to grow some food in our own back yard?

"How to overthrow The System: brew your own beer; kick in your tee vee; kill your own beef; build your own cabin and piss off the front porch whenever you bloody well feel like it."

---Edward Abbey

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Permalink Reply by david e kelley on August 10, 2009 at 10:09am

Amen brother! Humans survived for millions of years without the big chemical companies that write the bills many members of congress submit and many have become law. Although I live in an urban area my heart marches in tune with Abbey's
Stay natural.
David

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Permalink Reply by Kyle Gassman on August 9, 2009 at 3:51pm

Sorry about the knee jerk vent but farmers will always experience the downfall of what mother nature will present. The big box source of plants theory may have its merit, but I started all of my plants from seed and still I have wilt problems. Mulch your plants to deter the splashing up of soil borne virus's and try to find tomato varieties that might be less suseptable. Do your research. We are not a cause to a disease. We are a reaction to a market gone wrong. Set backs are the norm in food production. I don't know why this story set me off other than it seems that it wants to curb our desire to grow in our own yard what we desire to eat.

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Permalink Reply by Penelope on August 9, 2009 at 3:57pm

It set me off too. Love the Abbey quote. The desert rat was a friend/correspondent of mine.

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Permalink Reply by Kyle Gassman on August 9, 2009 at 4:25pm

I think that we should be more concerned with what can do and stop looking for reasons to limit what we would like to accomplish.
Ohh I think I heard another jar of green beans seal..and again. Less tomatoes. More green beans. at least hail didn't hit like last year.

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Permalink Reply by Penelope on August 9, 2009 at 5:46pm

i got lots of green beans too, just picked another bowl-full. I made dilly beans with the first picking, lost my pressure canner in one of my moves, so won't be canning them plain. Just eat them fresh, I guess, put them in the soup I made this morning too. I only have ONE zucchini. One more may make it. Everybody else around has lots already. I don't understand my garden . . .

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Permalink Reply by Marian Worley on August 10, 2009 at 6:47am

It is just one big opportunity to learn, Penelpoe. I always suspect soil and lack of nutritional balance when my crops do not produce. Specifically calcium and magnesium. You may need to be self pollinating your zucchini. Try transferring pollen from the male flowers on the stalks to the tiny flowers attached to the baby zucchini shoots. I just use my hands, but you can use a brush.

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Permalink Reply by Penelope on August 10, 2009 at 8:05am

That's just it, there are no baby zucchini shoots on my plants -- er, they're only on one of the plants and right now there's only one baby zuke.

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Permalink Reply by Penelope on August 10, 2009 at 10:40am

Considering all the doom and gloom we're living under, few are mentioning humans' impressive ability to adapt. Consider history and pre-history. It's amazing humans are still around.

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Permalink Reply by John Walker on August 11, 2009 at 8:09am

I read the whole article. Its really a commentary on large scale farming and seed /plant sales by big box stores.
They recommend buying local and using varieties developed for the region.
The comments are at the end of the article.
pax
John

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Permalink Reply by Penelope on August 11, 2009 at 8:29am

Yes, I read it too, but it leaves readers with the impression that home gardeners are the problem, especially since most news stories are usually designed in the upside down pyramid -- the important thrust of the story first, then anciliary stuff later -- this one is backwards, perhaps as an attempt not to offend big box advertisers???.

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Permalink Reply by Cindy on August 11, 2009 at 10:15am

I think the big box stores did take there share of the blame in this article. The lesson that stood out to me was either grow from seed or get your starts from local nurseries, which I plan to do next year. And to educate yourself about plant pathology and growing, which is why sites like this are so important.

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