Topic: I JUST CANNOT BELIEVE IT!

[tim]

Raised bed - new soil - sterilised tools.

Is there no justice??

[David R]

raised bed with new soil over infected? could have been dragged up by the creepy crawlies?

[cambourne7]

tim i am sorry to hear your still having problems.

Was this shop bought, saved or garlic bought from a specific grower?

[Tulipa]

Tim, I am really sorry to see your photo after all your hard work, you must be so frustrated.  :( Think I will pop out and dig mine up now...

[Barnowl]

Very sorry to see that, Tim.

Is it worth trying the 'nuclear' option (Armillatox) before next year?

[Doris_Pinks]

My sympathies Tim, not dug mine yet to see if I have the same problem this year again as you!

[BAK]

You do not indicate what the depth of the new soil is, ie what your assumption was as to how far away the sclerotium cepivorum needs to be to stop it being attracted by the chemicals that are emitted by the roots of the onions/garlics.

I ask this because I remember reading a paper on the web a couple of years back (which I cannot now find) that was talking about longer distances than the 10cm that is quoted in the HDRA factsheet on the topic http://www.organicgardening.org.uk/factsheets/dc16.php

[tim]

Good thinking, Bak - it's about 7".

Tears? Save them for a bit because we're still going to get Garlic this year, but that's another bed crossed off for alliums. Only problem is that I shall have to lift early to rescue the clean ones, even if immature.

At least the rotten ones scrub up? That's with a Tesco bulb.

Oh, Cambourne, that's my problem - can't recall where it came from. Rose Garlic - sure I didn't buy it.

And Barnie - may well do, but I'm losing faith in it.

[BAK]

I still cannot find this paper that I was wittering about (it looks like most freely available scientific papers have now disappeared).

I did find this abstract for a paper which talks about sclerotia buried 30cm deep still getting at garlic...

http://olericulture.org/006/435/006435764.html

[davyw1]

TIM, Did you put polythene on the bottom before you built your bed.

[tim]

Polythene? Now he tells me!!

Thanks, Bak.

[emmy1978]

Ah Tim, there's no justice. Could anyone tell me what sclerotia is? A bacteria or an organism or what?

[Tee Gee]

Tim did you use Mushroom compost by any chance? it looks a bit like mushroom mycellium growth to me.

[tim]

That's an interesting one, TG - no, I used top soil & JIC1.

But - nasty thought, on that bed, some of our own compost might have been added............??

It's so difficult to be perfect.

Whatever, we shall have Garlic this year!!

[Bionic Wellies]

Had a similar problem a couple of years ago and my dad suggested watering in Jeyes fluid (couple of capfuls in a watering can of water) - so after lifting them all I did just that - smelt a bit like a public toilet for a couple of days - but it certainly sorted some things out.

[tim]

A lovely thought, but I believe that the problem is beyond Jeyes & Armillatox. It's an international problem where growers are fighting for new ground to plant, given that the rotation time is 9 ? years.