tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6251137225980886312.post7732766973894196907..comments2023-08-17T11:43:59.315-04:00Comments on Hort Blog: Fresh From Bucks County FarmsScott Guiserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04812820951793692090noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6251137225980886312.post-87922676246882716492012-06-26T16:14:27.887-04:002012-06-26T16:14:27.887-04:00Diane,
Be aware that late blight is a special dise...Diane,<br />Be aware that late blight is a special disease and "in-season" we do not recommend composting late blight diseased plants. The reason is that every day those dying plants lay around they are capable of creating new infections. And, late blight spores can spred as much as 30 miles under favorable conditions. So, best to bag those plants up and cook them in the sun to minimize additional infections. <br />Also, infected potatoe tubers should not be composted because tubers can survive the winter and serve as early season inoculum. <br />Now, at the end of the growing season, the tomato story changes. See original blog. The point there is that late blight requires living tissue to survive and elaborate rotations and disinfections are not needed. <br />I'll stand by the idea that most garden diseases can be composted without negative consequence for gardeners... but late blight requires special attention during the growing seson to minimize inifection spread.Scott Guiserhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04812820951793692090noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6251137225980886312.post-11102627913630445962012-06-24T12:20:09.389-04:002012-06-24T12:20:09.389-04:00Scott! Where have you been all my life? Just cam...Scott! Where have you been all my life? Just came across your post about comosting diseased tomato plants, and I'm relieved.<br />I've never bought the idea that you have to burn diseased plants; based partly on intuition and partly on the book "Teaming with Microbes", I think encouraging biodiversity and exposing diseases to things that eat or compete with them will keep pathogens in check. I THINK that's what you're saying here.<br />I posted this on that entry, too, but I'll duplicate to increase my chances of being noticed. . .<br />I'm dealing with peach trees - brown rot, canker, I think. I usually chop up diseased branches I prune under the tree, because I'm sort of holistic and, well, lazy. Plus, it seems to me fungal diseases are always abundant in the environs, no matter what you do, right? Right? Thanks!DianeRNhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17012186004733357876noreply@blogger.com