By PAUL HETZLER

CANTON -- Sometimes tardiness is a good thing. Gardeners and vegetable growers are always glad when late blight, the scourge of tomatoes and potatoes, is actually late.

Many were concerned that the disease, which is transmitted through spores that blow in on the wind, would be early this year because weather conditions were favorable for its spread.

Despite this fact, and having late blight on all sides of St. Lawrence County for over a month now, it only just showed up this week.

This year’s arrival is more than two weeks later than it has been in the past several years.

Growers are encouraged to bag all affected plants to help limit the spread of disease spores, although at this late juncture that may not be quite as critical as it is when it arrives earlier in the season.

For information on how to identify and respond to late blight go to usablight.org or call your local Cornell Cooperative Extension office.

Paul Hetzler is a forester and Cornell Cooperative Extension of St. Lawrence County horticulture and natural resources educator.