Solarization of Infected Bed (Black Leg/Potato Blight)

carrie.draher 9/4/2012, 2:12 pm

Sadly, I discovered black leg in my lovely potato bed. I must have gotten some infected seed. This is my first year gardening - I had such a lovely crop of sweet potatoes in another bed...and am devastated to find my lovely crop ruined. I've done quite a bit of reading, which is how I discovered what I had - and will order certified organic disease free seed potatoes for next year. And, of course, I am ripping them out and will not plant potatoes in this bed for several years. As for the soil, I am going to try solarization, rather than chemically treat the bed, before I plant ANYTHING in it again. Has anybody tried this? What were the results? Advice on potato blight greatly appreciated. Thank you. - Carrie

cheyannarach 9/4/2012, 2:21 pm

So sorry to hear about your blight. Here is a link to a bunch of links from the forum with a bunch of information for all the reasons people use solarization! Weeds, disease, nematodes, etc.

https://www.google.com/search?q=solarization&sitesearch=http%3A%2F%2Fsquarefoot.forumotion.com%2F%2F

carrie.draher 9/4/2012, 2:36 pm

Thanks for the link and your condolences. I was so bummed last night I was near tears. I worked so hard on that bed - I loaded it with "pay-dirt", lovely top soil, enriched it with organic matter, soil is amazing, light and perfect. (Our typical soil here is heavy with clay). We've had a terrible heat wave - and I tarped them with a sun screen....monitored/metered soil moisture...etc. My husband saw my crestfallen face as I was reading, he's such a good sport, and very supportive - to lighten my mood & validate my genuine disappointment, and sadness, he took his cell phone out to the bed and played taps over the their once beautiful but now doomed blooms - I do so hate to be the executioner and kill them - but it must be done. Thanks again, Cheyannarach.

cheyannarach 9/4/2012, 2:43 pm

I would bet almost everyone hear can imagine the sadness, it's hard when you put so much time and effort and love into something only to have it be destroyed by something that's out of your hands. If I were you I would make hubby play executioner!

carrie.draher 9/4/2012, 3:03 pm

I may just ask him to do that for me. Very Happy

Good idea. (I was going to post a picture - to highlight a success of this year's experiments - at the farmer's market a woman was giving away sweet potato slips - I hadn't planned on planting them, but took a chance, plopped 8 of them into a corner of one of my beds. I wanted to post a photo of one haul from 2 of my 8 plants, planted in a new bed, made up of heavy clay soil. I tilled it and busted up the clods as best I could - amazingly I've harvested 18 pounds from 7 of them. (They set early - due to the heat) I made an attempt to post a pictures, selected the "host" icon in the menu - and selected a file, but it does not appear to have loaded. How do I do this in this forum?

cheyannarach 9/4/2012, 3:11 pm

Here is a link with pictures to show you how! I would love to see your sweet potato harvest! I planted them for the first time this year but they have not really thrived so I am curious to see if there is anything down below, first I had cutworms, then the deer ate them down!

https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/t129-how-to-post-a-picture-located-on-your-computer

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Solarization of Infected Bed (Black Leg/Potato Blight)

Solarization of Infected Bed (Black Leg/Potato Blight)

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