Re-using tomato blight compost - advice please

[QuakerBear]

Hi ho,

Last year I found three large grow bags in the shed at work. I put tomato plants in each which grew, got blight and died.

This year I'd like to clear the small bed in the yard and put a couple of plants in. The compost is black and looks very rich. So, do you think I'd be safe digging it into the bed to improve the quality of the soil if I only grow, say bean and courgettes in the bed?

Thanks chaps.

[Millymollymandy]

I'm not sure - certainly I wouldn't use it near toms or spuds. It would be a real shame to have to waste it though.

I await the advice of others though!

[theabsinthefairy]

Blight is an air borne fungus, but whose spores can rest in the soil, so your compost bags are probably infected.

However, you should be able to dig it in and use it elsewhere for another crop without too many problems as longs as it is a crop that is not affected by blight.

I am reusing last years tomato plots that suffered with blight, recomposted for early radish and spring onions.

My other blighty patch is growing a great crop of clover and dandilions which the rabbits are really happy to see, which should also help to clear the soil. (patch sown 'weeds' on purpose as animal fodder).

[QuakerBear]

I think I'm going to give it ago, beans aren't related to tomatos in anyway so I'll risk it.

Thanks

[Thurston Garden]

I would be tempted not to risk it. As said previously blight is a soil borne fungus transported in the air. The compost will have blight spores in it and given the right climatic conditions, these will thrive and be carried in the air to you/your neighbours/next village's toms

Having said that, unless you bin them the spores will get out anyhow, and if you don't get blight from there, odds on you will get it from somewhere else!

[theabsinthefairy]

Spores in the soil will cause tubular infection when tuburs are damaged - usually by harvest, they will enter any slight nick or cut in the tuburs and cause dry rot when trying to conserve.

They do not develop to become air born. The air born contagious form of the fungus settles on suitable leaves and will remain there until weather conditions prompt its development and growth.

So your possible infected compost will not develop air borne spores that will infect neighbour's crops.

The air borne spores have a shelf life of up to 8 weeks once dispersed, so any contagion can sit around for a long time before developing into full grown blight. So basically - if there is blight around everyone in the neighbourhood will get it anyway.

[Thurston Garden]

Thanks for the correction - makes sense actually 'cos farmers spray their tatties for blight every 8 weeks!