In 2009 , tomato blight in the form oflate blight destroyed a gamy percentage of farm and garden tomato in Pennsylvaniaand other spots in the easterly U.S. The question for nurseryman after the blight was whether to compost or demolish the septic plant .
Is it safe to compost diseased tomato plants?
Beth K Gugino , Ph.D. , Assistant Professor Of Plant Pathology at Penn State University , indite in“The Vegetable And Small Fruit Gazette”says,“In possibility , if done correctly , plants with late blight can be cast away of bycomposting . However , often this is not achieve . right composting involves run through both the active and curing phase of composting . The duration of the process is dependent on the input signal ( original materials),composting methodused and compost pile management ; it can take as minuscule as 3 month or as long as a year . The composting of diseased industrial plant material and weeds is loosely not recommended because of the possible spread of weed seeds and disease - causing pathogens when the compost is applied and incorporate back into the garden . plant life tissue paper can survive in the plaza of a warm compost hatful . As long as the plant tissue is live , the pathogen can come through .
“ … Next time of year it will be significant to destroy all Tennessean tomato plants . verify that all former blight taint love apple flora and yield tissue paper from this season is dead / destroyed . Once dead , the pathogen can no longer survive since it is an obligate pathogen ( requires living plant tissue to pull round overwinter ) and can not come through outside a inhabit innkeeper . The late blight pathogen can not live on in infested dead plant debris .
“ Next year , check that to plant healthy disease - free transplant . Examine your plants regularly for symptom of late blight , specially if coolheaded , wet condition die hard like this past class . In worldwide , unspoiled disease management focus on make a less favourable surround for the pathogen . The pathogen go and spreads more efficaciously when foliage surfaces are slopped . Avoid wet leaf by watering at the home of the plant or by using overhead irrigation during mid - morning so the leaf dry quickly . Improve line circulation by spacing plant farther asunder and eliminating weeds . These practices will also help with the direction of other plebeian tomato disease . ”
So there you have it from a scientist . If you ’re an expertcomposterand lie with exactly what you ’re doing , feel free to compost your love apple plants . If there ’s any doubt about the temperature of your compost pile , put down the plants to be on the safe side . The last matter you need is an contagion ( or re - contagion ) of blight in your love apple garden .
