To pull or not to pull

[Chuck]

I would imagine that many folks spring garden as just about finished doing its thing. Hopefully you had a successful year. But what to do with all of your dead and dying plants? Do you pull them up and put them in your compost pile or till them under or something else. I recommend the something else. On plants that have a habit of getting mildew like squash, melons and cucs I don't take a chance of transporting it into my compost pile. I pull them up and burn them. Same thing with tomato plants. On every thing else I can think of I cut the plant off at ground level leaving the roots in the ground and putting the plant part in the compost pile. I have found this to be an effective way of keeping the soil lose and aerated during the winter months. By spring planting time the roots have completely composted leaving behind the residual nutrients that were stored there.

 

[R.R.]

I was gonna put squash and tomato plants in my compost...thanks for the warning, Chuck.

 

[Jack Rouse]

Either is good, my Father used to dig everything in, stalk roots the lot, we never had a compost heap, grass cut from the orchards was spread on the ground and that too was dug in, and the surprising thing is, I don't remember a lot of weeds coming up in the following season.

Myself I compost everything including roots, keep the heap hot an moist and it will kill most bacteria off in time, weeds I tend to bag up, and take it to the local skip, where the council take it away for composting, I never buy their compost

The council frowns on fires, everything is supposed to be taken to the disposal site, where it is sorted, and recycled, they are quite proud of the fact that virtually every month over 80% of what is taken there is recycled.

 

[Pat]

I usually just turn everything over and let nature take care of everything.

 

[Chuck]

I usually just turn everything over and let nature take care of everything.

That is fine and many gardeners do. Personally I don't like to disturb the root system because that is where the beneficial Mycorrhizae Fungi are located and by turning it over you expose it to ultraviolet light and it is killed. I like to feed and maintain my soil during the fallow months. Besides, I find my back a lot less sore when I cut corn plants and okra plants instead of yanking them out of the ground. I have also found that by turning over your garden soil or tilling it you bring up old weed seeds that you have to do something with the following spring

 

[Livvy]

What on earth-no pun intended-are Mycorrhizae Fungi when they're at home?

 

[Chuck]

What on earth-no pun intended-are Mycorrhizae Fungi when they're at home?

Mycorrhizas fungi are probably the most important micro- organism there is. MF breaks down the organic matter in your soil into the micro-nutrients you plants need to survive.

 

[gata montes]

Although I do much the same as you Chuck - I also lightly till the soil after the final clear - as here the soil tends to get compacted during our long hot summers and if left - it makes tilling the soil in the spring even harder work than it already is - it also helps in keeping the multitude of weeds at bay a touch longer - especially as they normally start to spring up in abundance as soon as the weather starts to cool.

It is however not something that I shall be thinking of doing anytime soon - as my growing season is no where near finished yet - especially as it generally doesn't end until somewhere around late September at the earliest and often goes well into October

 

[headfullofbees]

Chuck:
leaving your tomato plant roots in your garden is asking for trouble, especially fusarium wilt and verticillium wilt; at least it would be in the UK.

 

[Chuck]

Chuck:
leaving your tomato plant roots in your garden is asking for trouble, especially fusarium wilt and verticillium wilt; at least it would be in the UK.

You misread. I get rid of tomatoes, squash, cucs melons completely. I leave the roots on everything else in the ground

 

[headfullofbees]

You misread. I get rid of tomatoes, squash, cucs melons completely. I leave the roots on everything else in the ground

 

[Meowmie]

I put everything in my compost pile that shows no sign of disease. Luckily, I've had no trouble so far, since I can't burn anything.
Tilling things under isn't much of an option for me, since I grow most in slightly raised beds and only have a manual hand tiller.

Not sure what I will do if I end up with something diseased. Can't have fires here, and can not put lawn waste in the garbage. The only option would be to put it in the community compost but that just seems mean. Not sure what others do here, but that, and pesticides, are why I never get dirt from the community compost pile!

 

[Chuck]

I put everything in my compost pile that shows no sign of disease. Luckily, I've had no trouble so far, since I can't burn anything.
Tilling things under isn't much of an option for me, since I grow most in slightly raised beds and only have a manual hand tiller.

Not sure what I will do if I end up with something diseased. Can't have fires here, and can not put lawn waste in the garbage. The only option would be to put it in the community compost but that just seems mean. Not sure what others do here, but that, and pesticides, are why I never get dirt from the community compost pile!

You live in a much cooler climate than most of us in the US. That being so you don't have nearly the problems we in the south have with downy mildew and other damaging fungal diseases so you are probably safe except for tomatos. On tomatos it will be best to pull them totally out of the garden each year. Is it against the law there to BBQ?

 

[headfullofbees]

You live in a much cooler climate than most of us in the US. That being so you don't have nearly the problems we in the south have with downy mildew and other damaging fungal diseases so you are probably safe except for tomatos. On tomatos it will be best to pull them totally out of the garden each year. Is it against the law there to BBQ?

Chuck, 2 points:
Mildew occurs when the leaves are damp but the roots are dry; I'd water slightly more often.
Spraying leaves with 1 part milk to 9 parts water will stop mildew, as it doesn't like the antacid milk.

 

[Chuck]

Chuck, 2 points:
Mildew occurs when the leaves are damp but the roots are dry; I'd water slightly more often.
Spraying leaves with 1 part milk to 9 parts water will stop mildew, as it doesn't like the antacid milk.

I have heard about the milk but never tried it. Does it prevent or does it cure?