Mulching

[Roy Bham UK]

I have quite alot of spent soil left over from last years tomato's out of their pots and was wondering if it would be safe to put this over my spuds as mulch (frost protection)? I hear alarm bells ringing as I say this, as the risk of blight may be lurking in the soil or am I being a little paranoid? :o :-\

[Roy Bham UK]

[Robert_Brenchley]

Did you have any blight last year? My toms did, so it was definitely about. But if you didn't get it, you're probably OK, I'd have thought.

[Roy Bham UK]

Not that I can recall Robert but then being my first year I haven't a clue what blight looks like, I can remember the toms I planted in the ground looked a little powdery toward the end? the potted ones appeared ok.

What other veg can I scatter it around that would be immune? ???



Edited to correct spelling after a heavey night ::) ;D

[Robert_Brenchley]

Powdery is just mildew, don't worry about it. With blight, you get brown patches all over them, including on the fruit. Then they rot. If you take infected fruit home, it soon grows masses of mould.

[Roy Bham UK]

;) Thanks Robert, I have about 12 bags of the stuff and couldn't bring myself to just dump it.

[Jill]

Does blight stay in the soil for a prolonged period, then?  I thought it was basically air borne and only hung around in the soil for a matter of weeks.

[Roy Bham UK]

Good point Jill, am watching with interest. :)

[Robert_Brenchley]

It survives the winter in potato tubers, but as far as I know tomato soil will be OK the following year as there are no plant structures there that it could live on.