Topic: White Rot

[BockingBill]

Just lifted a couple of garlic and autumn sown shallots and discovered that they have white rot. Majority of crop though is ok.

I note from t'net that the spores can live in the ground for up to 18 years but that some people have had a little bit of success against the white rot by sprinkling compost along the rows.

Anybody got any thoughts on this?

[Plot69]

Some commercial onion growers grow in the same ground for decades. I give my onion beds a few good soaks with Jeys fluid once they are lifted and before winter sets in. Then the beds are left to weather in over winter ready for next year.

Not sure if it helps but I've never noticed any white rot and I get good onions and garlic.

[BarriedaleNick]

Interesting Plot69 - as I have mentioned we have white rot on our site and I lost a couple of onions etc this year.  Ill give the jeyes ago but I was worried about other benificial soil organisms??

[daileg]

as har as im aware it comes onto your plot via other plotholders boots / shoes from there plots ive had a touch on my garlic this year in a new bed i dug so never had it before all i can do is give it some Jeyes fluid then

thanks for the tip Plot 69 ill give it go

[Plot69]

Interesting Plot69 - as I have mentioned we have white rot on our site and I lost a couple of onions etc this year.  Ill give the jeyes ago but I was worried about other benificial soil organisms??

Which is why I do it towards the end of the summer and then leave it all autumn/winter to recuperate.

I have read that if you get one with rot, all you need do is remove  the soil from a 12" radius around the infected bulb. It's supposed to restrict the spread. I personally wouldn't guarantee it though.

[BarriedaleNick]

Ah! I see - good plan...

[Robert_Brenchley]

I always get a few with white rot. I keep rotating them, and it's never got any worse.

[Barnowl]

Interesting Plot69 - as I have mentioned we have white rot on our site and I lost a couple of onions etc this year.  Ill give the jeyes ago but I was worried about other benificial soil organisms??

Haven't tried it yet but post Jeyes treatment this might help?

http://www.gardening-naturally.com/acatalog/info_RV001.html

[Plot69]

That's interesting. Might give that a go. I just got back from the plot, dug up the remaining 40 garlic and all the roots were perfect but I'll still dose with Jeys.

One more garlic bed to go, don't know how that's performed yet  ???

[cornykev]

Some of my winter ones had white rot and a few of the summer ones have it, I watered in some jeyes fluid on the patch where the winter ones had been, I'm not sure if I put enough on, I put two cap fulls into a 10l watering can twice and watered a 4 foot x16 foot area. I take it you don't put nothing in the bed until after the winter months Plot69.       ??? ??? ???     :-\ :-\ :-\    ;D ;D ;D

[Plot69]

I never use the same bed two years running for garlic because I like to Jeys it and leave it over winter rather than planting garlic in it again in October. I've cleared one garlic bed today that I'll Jeys, I suppose 3 months would be long enough to let it settle and get rid of any residue, especially if we get a grotty wet summer like last year.

Now is it me or is it the Mars Bar phenomenon. Does the Jeys Fluid you buy now seem less potent, smell different and generally look different when mixed with water to the Jeys of years ago? I seem to remember it being whiter, less oily and generally more eye wateringly stronger smelling than what I use now.

[davyw1]

Jeys Fluid 2 cap fulls to a gallon and a good covering with lime when the onion comes out is what i do so far so good.

[Plot69]

Jeys Fluid 2 cap fulls to a gallon and a good covering with lime when the onion comes out is what i do so far so good.

How long do you leave it before planting again?

[davyw1]

After my onion are lifted that patch is left allone nothing goes in till next season I don,t believe in continiouse sowing and like to rest my soil, so by next year its flushed through by the weather.
Where my onions go next year gets limed about six week to a month before they go in.

[cornykev]

Why lime Davy, I never associated lime with onion beds.   ???    :-\       ;D ;D ;D

[davyw1]

I lime to try and drop the acidity in the soil also i believe it helps against whit rot.
I am also a bit carefull about the amount of firtilizers i use as this is  the main cause of bull kneck in the ionion.

[cornykev]

Gotcha mate.   ;D ;D ;D