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Benton Ky

I was just wondering is it not important to alternate patches from year to year? I was just curious I do with my vegetables.

6/10/2004 4:51:51 PM

Menomonie, WI (mail@gr8pumpkin.net)

I would say yes to alternating patches for the reduction of soil borne diseases. Most of us do not have that option. We work years to acheive the perfect soil. We mix in unheard of amounts of organic matter. Have all our major and minor nutrients tweaked to where we want them. I don't alternate because of this.

6/10/2004 5:23:28 PM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

I would absolutely alternate patches if I had the room here to do it. But I'd run 2-3 on & 2-3 off rather than every year oif I saw Phytophthora. While soil pathogen rules aren't carved in stone, I recently read that 3 or 4 years is the anticipated cooling off period for PhytoP.

6/10/2004 5:53:47 PM

Appalachian Mtns.

I wish I could. In a few years when I buy new land and build a newer house I'm hoping to have that as an option.

6/10/2004 8:08:36 PM

Benton Ky

Thanks for the information. I am collecting manure for next year. I was going to alternate, but I had not seen anything posted about it and was just wondering. I have read some posts about composting the remains of their pumpkin plants is this a good idea? I am just wanting to stay away from disease. I was not running down anyone for growing in the same patch I understand the amount of work put into them.My grandad has a garden beside his house he plants the same thing in every year and just moves the rows from side to side. His tomatoes blight a little early , but he has never lost a crop.

6/11/2004 11:14:58 PM

Menomonie, WI (mail@gr8pumpkin.net)

I Burn mine, or pull them out of the patch area.

6/13/2004 12:20:19 AM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

When growing in alternate, the off year a pathc may be lest fallow with a cover crop or planted with bearing crops that complement. Local Ag agents can advise which crops won't get Phtophthora & will fit in rotation. Potatoes come to mind but in KY, I'm not sure.

6/13/2004 7:36:16 AM

Cologne / Germany

As far as I know it mostly effects cabbage plants if you don´t alternate. They are likely to catch some sort of typical cabbage disease due to monoculture.
I would alternate if I had the space, but first reason would be a visibly decreasing crop, second any kind of virus infection during a season. My AG plants went down due to mildew 2 years in a row (during & after harvesting so I had no fruit losses), I never composted the remaining parts and always tilled in compost and other stuff that was not produced in my own garden. At least it seems to work for AG´s. It´s my 3rd year on the same patch right now.

6/13/2004 5:55:48 PM