RICHLAND, Mich., -- Ben Martin is less than pleased with some of the tomato plants on his farm this year. Due to a cooler and wetter summer, the plants that were forced to weather the elements experienced blight. The plant disease is often caused by fungi, such as mildews.
"They're dead, they're just full of white fruit," Martin told FOX 17 News. "It was pretty hard this year. We're lucky to even salvage some of the ones we got off."
Martin says there is a big difference with his protected plants, those that weren't "stressed out" by the conditions. The ones that were covered are yielding normal, ripe tomatoes.
Martin said he's talked to other growers who are experiencing the same problem. It's not clear how much money he will lose due to the blight and crop of bad tomatoes.
