Topic: Onion White Rot

[boydzfish]

Just been a member of the forums for a couple of weeks now and amazed at the amount of knowledge here. I have had my allotment for 2 years now and still on the learning curve (The old boy in the next allotment reckons he is still on this and he has had his for years!!) part of which has been the number of pests that I have experienced. I am a 'live and let live' sort and intend to be as organic as possible but, despite rotating my inion crops, have had white rot both years losing about 10% of my crop. The  thing is I have been planting my veg along the allotment as opposed to across but have decided that this wastes too much space and so am switching to the across system next year. I suspect that the reason I have only lost 10% is because of the planting along and think that I may lose much more when I start planting across the plot (Hope this makes sense!!) as the previous occupant did. So I have been researching solutions for this disease and come across a product called Armillatox, which looks to be fairly organic, and was wonderiing if anyone else had used it with success? My other option was to dig trenches and line them with weed suppression material then fill them with compost, but I am not sure if this will keep out the fungus as well. Any suggestions or tips would be most welcome. :)

[Tee Gee]

Hi Boyd welcome to the plots!

I am a 'live and let live' sort and intend to be as organic as possible but, despite rotating my inion crops, have had white rot both years losing about 10% of my crop.

Like me; been there done that!

But I have persevered and fingers crossed its all behind me.I have only one bed now that is suspect and I haven't grown any of the onion family for a few years now and plan not to use it for a few years more if I can!

The  thing is I have been planting my veg along the allotment as opposed to across but have decided that this wastes too much space and so am switching to the across system next year.

I have been doing this for years because what it means is; ( in the case of white rot) I can isolate each end of the bed meaning I can treat my 12 beds as 24 or 36 even, in my rotation system.

I also find it better for continuity of crops in so far as rather than say three long rows of crops I can plant three block of crops meaning as one is harvested I can lift it and get something else in its spot.

Another factor depending upon how your plot lies  on a north to south basis you might find that your beds/rows are better lit due to outside rows not shading the middle row!

I have been researching solutions for this disease and come across a product called Armillatox, which looks to be fairly organic, and was wonderiing if anyone else had used it with success?

I swear by this stuff although I have no proof if my results are down to using it, but what I can say is I am very happy with my results.

It was once classified as a 'fungicide' but because of 'Euro' interference it has been re-classified as a cleaning agent. From my experience it keeps me free of pests such as butterflies / caterpillars,onion fly,root fly slugs & snails.

It may be my imagination but something is working for me and until I find it is not the 'Armillatox' I will still carry on using it!

I was always taught; if you find a way of doing things that work for you! stick to it until you find out something different!

My other option was to dig trenches and line them with weed suppression material then fill them with compost, but I am not sure if this will keep out the fungus as well.

Waste of time and money in my opinion, what's to say; that after year one, you don't end up from the aftermath of things flying or being blown around.

As I said these are my opinions based on my results and you did ask if anyone had any experience on the matter.

I leave these thoughts with you...Tg

[Denzle]

The dreaded white rot.   There isn't a lot you can do as this is spread on your boots etc.   Even from one prong of your fork.   :'(

All infected onions should be taken away or burned.  Don't put them on your compost pile.   :o

If you want to grow more onions then build a raised bed using soil from elsewhere or if you do use your own soil, drench the bed really well in diluted bleach.....Armillatox....or Jeyes fluid.    ;D

You can but try this.  ;)   Good luck.  You will need it.

[Duke Ellington]

I have one bed where I was growing garlic and this summer about four out of 20 garlic cloves were affected by white rot. I have been experimenting with using garlic powder in this bed. *I like a good experiment* ;D

I will let you know my findings as next year I intend to grow more shallots and garlic in the same bed again.

Duke :)

[chriscross1966]

The commercial boys now pay so much for half-composted onion waste it's worth the like of Premier Foods (who make an awful lot of supermarket own-brand ready meals) keeping all the onion peelings seperate. What they've found is that if they dig in this foul-smelling semicomposted rubbiosh then grown something that isn't an onion it confuses the spores of the white rot into hatching (cos of the smell off the onion waste) ... whereopon they starve cos you're growing spuds or beans etc.....Apparently so effective that they don't bother with the chemicals much if they can get it....

chrisc

[grawrc]

The commercial boys now pay so much for half-composted onion waste it's worth the like of Premier Foods (who make an awful lot of supermarket own-brand ready meals) keeping all the onion peelings seperate. What they've found is that if they dig in this foul-smelling semicomposted rubbiosh then grown something that isn't an onion it confuses the spores of the white rot into hatching (cos of the smell off the onion waste) ... whereopon they starve cos you're growing spuds or beans etc.....Apparently so effective that they don't bother with the chemicals much if they can get it....

chrisc

There's a lot of research going on using a garlic "soup" along the same lines as you suggest. I'm intending to give Armillatox a go on one bed and a garlic experiment on the other. I may well do next season's onion beds as well - just in case!

[BarriedaleNick]

May I ask when is the best time to treat with either the onion soup or Armillatox?

 

[chriscross1966]

Garlic soup I'd have thought any nice wasrm wet bit from Masy onwards.... double up theffectivenessd by having carrots in.... Armillatox as you harvest (I guess, if it was me but don't doi it, it's not allowed)

chrisc

[grawrc]

I'm doing next season's onion beds now and will then plant sets in 2-3 weeks.

[Denzle]

May I ask when is the best time to treat with either the onion soup or Armillatox?

 

If your going to drench your bed with Armillatox... Bleach etc, then any time from now through till January or February.   Then the Hydrogen Peroxide that falls with the rain will help to clean and wash the soil  through.

Saying that though........If its an outside veg patch you can pick up the spores again from elsewhere.  This will only apply mainly to indoor beds where the contamination cant reach.
Also remember that after this treatment your soil will need feeding again with whatever.  ;)

[Duke Ellington]

if you treat the soil with Armillatox how long do you have to wait after treating to plant onion sets/shallots/garlic?

Duke

[boydzfish]

I managed to get some Armillatox, had to call the company for an outlet but got it locally (It isn't hard to get hold of I also saw it in our local hardware shop). Anyway the chap I spoke to said it didn't matter when you used it as it is just a soil steriliser. I will be putting it down a couple of weeks before I dig the overwintering onion bed then maybe again a couple of weeks before I plant next year. As all the poster to the thread have said it is difficult to eradicate as it is so easily spread; I suppose if you even put soil in your compost with your weedings you will possibly even infect that; so there's a point to ponder!! Still I will give it a go and see how I get on.

Spent a wonderful afternoon up the allotment today, it was nearly like summer again!! Got loads done and am also trying out some green manures this year, mustard and clover; I had a bit of a disaster with winter tares last year but the clover seems to be coming through now. :D

[grawrc]

if you treat the soil with Armillatox how long do you have to wait after treating to plant onion sets/shallots/garlic?

Duke

The Armillatox.com website suggests 2-3 weeks after watering with it you can plant or sow.