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 This
is not as easy as it seems. Most compost piles do not heat up and
maintain hot enough temperatures to kill weeds, weed seeds, disease
organisms, and insect pests. In many locations burning is not
allowed and it negatively impacts air quality. So, what’s a gardener
to do?
Start by calling your local municipality and asking about disposal
options. Many communities allow you to dispose of invasive plants in
the garbage after placing them in a clear plastic bag labeled
invasive.
Solarization is an option for managing weeds. Place small amounts of
plant debris in clear plastic bags. Then place the bags in a warm
sunny location before composting. For larger quantities, set the
problem plant debris on a sheet of plastic and securely cover it
with a 2- to 6-mil clear plastic tarp. The plastic helps create a
greenhouse effect, trapping heat while blocking access to water. The
seeds will sprout and then seedlings and other plants are killed by
the high temperatures and lack of water. It is most effective when
the days are long and hot.
This may be effective if the temperatures are hot enough to kill
plant insect pests and diseases. Most plant pathogens are killed
when moist soil remains at 145°F for 30 minutes, 160°F for bacteria,
and 180°F for weed seeds.
If battling jumping worms, the University of Maryland has found
creating a solarization package is effective for managing them in
soil, compost, and mulch. Spread a sheet of clear plastic on the
ground. Place a 6 to 8” layer of mulch, compost, or soil on the
plastic tarp, leaving enough excess to wrap and completely and
securely cover the enclosed material. On a sunny day, the material
inside can reach 150°F. Research varies on the number of days needed
to kill the jumping worms. Several University sources recommend 3 or
more days of at least 104°F or 105°F to kill the eggs, cocoons, and
adult jumping worms.
You may want to enlist this strategy when harvesting your compost
before applying it to the soil. This extra step may help reduce the
risk of introducing problems back into the garden.
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Burying diseased material can help reduce the source
of future infection of some diseases. Dig a hole, fill it with plant
debris, mix it with soil, and then cover it with an inch or two of
disease-free soil. Speed up the decomposition of buried material by
shredding it before burying it. Avoid growing plants susceptible to
the disease in that location the following season.
Remember to disinfect your pots, stakes, and tools that may have
housed or touched diseased plants. Disease-causing organisms can
survive on these items, increasing disease risk in next year’s
garden. Soak pots for 30 minutes in a 10% bleach solution, rinse
with clear water and air dry. Store in a clean location. This is
much more effective with clay and ceramic pots than plastic.
Consider rotating plantings as you would in the garden and changing
display areas when using plastic containers if you do not want to
dispose of them.
Disinfect garden tools by dipping them in a 70% alcohol solution
using rubbing alcohol or something similar for at least 30 seconds.
Or you can spray your tools with a disinfectant spray containing
about 70% alcohol.
Investing time in prevention will result in fewer problems and
better results in next year’s garden.
Melinda Myers has written over 20 gardening books, including Midwest
Gardener’s Handbook, 2nd Edition and Small Space Gardening. She
hosts The Great Courses “How to Grow Anything” instant video and DVD
series and the nationally syndicated Melinda’s Garden Moment radio
program. Myers is a columnist and contributing editor for Birds &
Blooms magazine. Myers’ website is www.MelindaMyers.com.
[Photo courtesy of MelindaMyers.com] |
