KINGSTON – This summer’s weather is ideal for late blight, which could kill off large volumes of tomato plants. Lydia Reidy, executive director of Cornell Cooperative Extension of Ulster County told a County Legislature oversight committee Wednesday that growers should take added precautions to prevent it from spreading to their crop.

Late blight is the same as that which caused the Irish potato famine.

In this case, the problem is being felt across the Northeast because big box chain stores have been getting contaminated plants from growers in Georgia.

Reidy said the conditions this summer are ideal for the blight – cold, damp and windy weather.

“It’s airborne spores. That’s why it’s really important for folks to get rid of the whole plant and to clean up their gardens over winter,” she said. “If you always planted tomatoes in the same spot and you think you’ve had late blight, you will probably want to move your tomatoes, but you will also want to clean any debris up.”

Signs of late blight include black spots on leaves, the plant dies quickly, within a week, the fruit develops a brown color when encompasses it entirely, and it is never allowed to ripen.

Reidy said commercial farming operations are not affected nearly as much as organic growers because they have the means to combat the disease using chemicals.