Late Blight of Tomatoes Found in Manitoba!

itvbrandon.com has posted a piece that late blight of tomatoes has been found in tomatoes in retail outlets in Winnipeg and Brandon. This is a serious disease that can also transfer to potatoes, ruining crops. There's a link to MAFRI's website with pictures and more info. Check it out and be informed!

A Case of Bumblefoot?

I noticed a couple of days ago that one of The Girls had a swelling on her foot. I remembered reading something about this but couldn't remember the details or where I read it. It took a couple of days, but I am pretty sure she has something called bumblefoot. It seems she would have gotten a cut or scratch on the bottom of her foot which has been infected with, most likely, a staph infection. Various treatments are described both in our books and online, all which involve a little 'surgery'. The bottom of the foot will have a scab, where the infection entered. This must be removed, lifted or lanced and then pus and goo must be removed from the wound. It should be disinfected and treated, bandaged and then the little Girl must be contained in a small place with deep bedding to cushion the foot. We've got to get organized and get this done because it has definitely gotten worse in the couple of days of research; the poor Girl has quite a limp today!

Beware Tomatoe Growers!!

Another excellent piece on Garden Rant posted by Michele. Contains a link to Cornell Horticulture's Blog and Craig D. Cramer's article on Late Tomato Blight. Good information! A little scary for those of us who LOVE our vine-ripened tomatoes. People in the Northeast United States need to pay close attention, but as we become a more global world, it's information we all need to be aware of. Pests and diseases are moving around the globe in strange, new ways these days!