Does anyone else suspect, as I do, that a lot of gardening writers in
the papers have never gardened, and work on theory only?
For example in Saturday's Telegraph one said that any leaves that were
diseased should be separated and not composted. I just cannot see
myself, with rose bushes, three large mature limes, hedging and fruit
trees sitting down sorting through the millions (?) of leaves to
separate those with disease! How many of you do?

On 14/11/04 12:26, in article , "Broadback"
wrote:

Does anyone else suspect, as I do, that a lot of gardening writers in
the papers have never gardened, and work on theory only?
For example in Saturday's Telegraph one said that any leaves that were
diseased should be separated and not composted. I just cannot see
myself, with rose bushes, three large mature limes, hedging and fruit
trees sitting down sorting through the millions (?) of leaves to
separate those with disease! How many of you do?

No! But two Saturdays ago a writer in that same paper described me as Ray's
daughter. I should have sent her a photo..... ;-)
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove the weeds to email me)

In article ,
Sacha wrote:
On 14/11/04 12:26, in article , "Broadback"
wrote:

Does anyone else suspect, as I do, that a lot of gardening writers in
the papers have never gardened, and work on theory only?
For example in Saturday's Telegraph one said that any leaves that were
diseased should be separated and not composted. I just cannot see
myself, with rose bushes, three large mature limes, hedging and fruit
trees sitting down sorting through the millions (?) of leaves to
separate those with disease! How many of you do?

No! But two Saturdays ago a writer in that same paper described me as Ray's
daughter. I should have sent her a photo..... ;-)

Anna Pavord said in the independent that Pyracantha wasn't all that
figorous, and its thorns weren't anything of consequence. Or words
to that effect.

I think that they DO garden, but extrapolate very limited experience
to generalities.

Anyway, on the particular point of composting rose leaves with black
spot, I doubt that it makes a damn of difference. Collins says that
the overwintering stage is on the shoots, not leaves. And it is a
ubiquitous fungus and carried by aphids, anyway, so roses WILL be
exposed to it, sooner or later.

There are very, very few diseases that are likely to be transmitted
primarily through compost. In general, if they can get through the
composting process, they are something that you have or you haven't,
and can do nothing about.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.