Sunday, August 2, 2009

Check out These Babies....

Here is my first photo of the cherry tomatoes. First photo, yes, but we have been eating them for a couple of weeks now. However, with this July being recorded as the rainiest in 100 years, we have been hit with a fungus called 'blight'. It sounds very ominous, because it is. ' A strain of the fungus that caused the Irish potato famine of the 1840's is on the loose in Rhode Island and is damaging potato and tomato crops,' as reported in the Providence Journal. Unfortunately, my tomatoes have been hit with 'the blight', and daily, I have been cutting back more and more of the molded leaves. It feels like a losing battle, even though the tomatoes are still growing and flowering. It is the leaves which carry the mold. The basil, oregano and parsley are fine. I am sitting here looking at some threatening clouds rolling in. Ahhhh, the learning curve of a City girl in the suburbs and her victory garden. I'll keep you posted, as they say!!!

11 comments:

Deb DiSalvo said...

Have I told you how much I LOVE tomatoes??? Seriously, I eat them every day. Instead of "an apple-a-day keeps the doctor away", my motto is a tomato-a-day!!! And none taste better than home grown! Unfortunately, I haven't been able to grow them here :(

Azure Accessories said...

Mmmm...those cheery tomatoes look delicious!!!

I think this has been a bad year for growing period...I know the products and fruits are far behind what they normally would be in this area!!!

Haven't heard much about blight, but there has been much talk about mold, from being so wet!

The weather patterns are so unpredictable this year...I was doing my Market this morning and for about half an hour we had strong winds with very heavy rainfall, just long enough to get everything soaked...before and after it was blue sky and sun...what can I say.... :0)

Cheers

Zaidat said...

Mmmmm. When I was pregnant with my daughter,I hated tomatoes. Then when I was preggo with my son I fell in love with them. So now I have a love/hate relationship with them. Those look pretty yummy.

Amy Lilley Designs said...

No Miss Deb, you have not...if I had some dry ice, I send some off to you...right now, not only am I in mourning for my beautiful tomatoes, but I have a serious case of the 'heebie-jeebie's', w/ all the cutting back of the affected leaves...they have been superb, in salads, cooked down w/ some whole wheat pasta, some fresh oregano and basil from the garden...my husband...a very happy camper...:))

Heather, this turned out to be a bad year and a strange one for anyone trying to grow their 'normal' stuff. This 'blight' is a real mosnster, and like I said to Deb, I have the 'heebie-jeebie's', big time right now...I've cut everything else back and have started to bag and freeze for the winter...

I SAW the stage fall @ the concert in Canada (someplace)..it was on the world news...exactly what you described...gusty winds..heavy rain, people running for cover...glad that your sun came out for you @ the market today...hope you have a great week...:))))

Z!!! I'm thinking that you would like these..they have a great burst of LIFE to them...as is, or cooked down, they've been very very yummy!!!!

Unknown said...

ohhh those look gorgeous and delicious!!! shame that they got hit by this fungus!

Amy Lilley Designs said...

Triz they are really delicious...looked @ the garden first thing this AM, (lost sleep over the whole thing), and some of the plants might be salvaged...it's way too hot right now to do any work out there, but, I'll have a better sense by later today...boo hoo...

Jackie said...

What a lovely picture and those tomatoes look so yummy Amy!

We too have had rain, rain, and more rain!

In between we have extreme heat and humidity.

Tammy is in Maine so I know you you guys up there are having 'no summer summer.'

Good luck and happy day!!:-)

Anonymous said...

Oh they are so cute!

Kim said...

that is such a dreadful shame Amy!!
those tomatoes look perfect...
your photo would make a great poster :))
I do hope that your vigilence pays off....
rain rain go away....leave Amy's tomato plants alone!!!

Amy Lilley Designs said...

Hiya Jackie...we still have plenty left, but the stems are becoming thinner and thinner as I continue to cut back the leaves w/ 'blight'...I will probably refrain from taking any pics because it's too sad...anywho, yet another learning curve...we still have plenty of beautiful days ahead...you have had your hands full too w/ Mr. Snapper and his friends...:))

Gabby, you are so cute...:))

Kim, I was so sad yesterday, even lost sleep over the whole thing..anywho, I'm better today, and I'm still plucking beautiful, ripe tomatoes, which Jimmy and I are enjoying...I'm doing another show in Providence, late September and I'm thinking cards, 5x7's, for the tomatoes...thank you for your sympathy...:))))))

Rebecca said...

The blight took my entire crop. Nothing can be done for it. Make sure you bag the plants and sit them out on trash day. Tossing the plants over the hill or elsewhere will just give it a chance to come back at ya next year.

Also, whatever you have been using to 'trim' with will need to be bleached.