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#1
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solarizing compost
over the last 2 seasons a problem with anthracnose has developed in areas i plant tomatoes...not really a problem if you can keep the soil away from the fruit when it rains and soil splashes. however, i made the mistake of putting some infected tomato waste into my composter so i am sure that the compost is contaminated. my intention is to put the compost into large clear plastic bags, wet it down and let it sit in the sun thereby solarizing it and hopefully killing any diseases in the compost. any comments on my chances for success would be appreciated |
#2
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solarizing compost
wrote in message ... over the last 2 seasons a problem with anthracnose has developed in areas i plant tomatoes...not really a problem if you can keep the soil away from the fruit when it rains and soil splashes. however, i made the mistake of putting some infected tomato waste into my composter so i am sure that the compost is contaminated. my intention is to put the compost into large clear plastic bags, wet it down and let it sit in the sun thereby solarizing it and hopefully killing any diseases in the compost. any comments on my chances for success would be appreciated A little reading tells me that anthracnose is a fungal disease. Even at its highest temperatures, "solarizing" may not accomplish what you want. That may even help to propagate the fungus. Here is a good website: www.gardenweb.com . There are tomatoes and compost forums there. Fito |
#3
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solarizing compost
Better off heat pasteurising it. As is done with commercial composts. I've often had fungal growth - obvious mycelium as well as tiny fruiting bodies - in commercial compost. Mary Jim |
#4
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solarizing compost
Better off heat pasteurising it. As is done with commercial composts. I've often had fungal growth - obvious mycelium as well as tiny fruiting bodies - in commercial compost. Mary Ahhh but that could be other things.. ranging from spores already on plants/seed coats to contaminated water, pots, handling, poor strage of compost.. (it doesn't stay pastuerised forever you know). I didn't explain myself properly. I rarely do on Usenet, too busy getting the essentials - or what I think are the essentials - down. I meant that I've seen evidence of fungi in newly bought and newly opened bags of organic compost. Now that I've got a good supply of my own compost and shreddings I shan't be buying any more. The hens make a marvellous job of turning and fertilising shreddings. The OP asked about reducing fungal growth in own compost. Heat treatment would minimise this IMO. But does it matter? And if it does, how can we heat-treat compost? Mary // Jim |
#5
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solarizing compost
... how can we heat-treat compost? Sterilisers can be bought or there are various home made versions on the web. Eg: http://www.geocities.com/j_warham/Steri1.html For small quantities I belive the microwave can be used.. If you have one! It all depends on the value of your crop/plant etc as to whether you bother sterilising or not.. If its rare seed/ or you only have a single plant it may be more important that it survive than if its a hardy Butterfly bush or something.. In whcih case clean pots, using fungicides to water etc etc are important. And of course storage in a sealed bag post sterilising is important. There is plenty more information on the web if you go look for it;-) Thanks, but I really don't think I'll bother, I've never had a problem. If I do I'll do a Google, thanks for the tip. By the way, I occasionally have volunteer blewits and oyster mushrooms growing in our garden :-) Mary // Jim |
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solarizing compost
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solarizing compost
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#8
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solarizing compost
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