I am so disappointed. My garlic crop has got rust, again! It happened at around the same time last year, and despite rotating the crops, we’ve got it again. My initial thought was that I should pull out all the garlic before the rust spreads to the onions and leeks in the same bed. Then I thought, to hell with good intentions and organic gardening, I’ll be damned if I let these beautiful plants fall foul to this fungus. Off I went to a local garden centre. The manager told me that there wasn’t an organic fungicide that I could use and recommended Dithane 945. I bought it and took it home.
The symbol on the back of the packaging tells me that this product is dangerous for the environment. How can I even consider using it? I’m glad I have the receipt still, I’m going to return it tomorrow. Then I’ll go back down to the allotment, pull up the garlic and bring it home to hang up on the fence to dry in the sun. Small garlic is better than no garlic at all. No garlic is worth damaging the environment for.
Good for you! I was tempted to “do something” about the overgrowth of dandelions this year, just because I felt the yard looked so unkempt compared to the neighbours. I’m glad I didn’t, though, I just couldn’t stomach dumping that stuff into the food/water supply for my home-vanity.
What about growing garlic in pots?
Comment by madcap — June 28, 2006 @ 7:20 pm
Thanks for the moral support. I think I may trying to grow garlic in our home garden next year, hopefully we don’t have the fungus lurking around there.
Comment by Tracy — June 28, 2006 @ 9:05 pm
My garlic too has rust - first time the garden has been cultivated for veg (to the best of my knowledge anyway - certainly it has been under lawn for at least the last 7 years).
As a novice, I’m not sure what to do - should I destroy the plants? My onions look great still. I’m about to pop leeks in the same bed - I assume being from the same family they’re also in danger?
Comment by Jimbob — July 4, 2006 @ 3:26 pm
I found this in “You Grow Girl” by Gayla Trail. Let me know if it helps at all!
Anti-Rust Sweet Spray
You will need:
* 1 cup sulfured molasses
* 1 cup powdered milk (optional)
* 1 cup seaweed aka kelp powder (optional)
* String
* BUcket
* 1 gallon warm water
* Old T-shirt, pantyhose, or cheesecloth
1. In the bucket, mix together the molasses and powders into a thick paste
2. Scoop the paste into the leg of an old pair of pantyhose and tie at the top to close. You can substitute a piece of old T-shirt or cheesecloth tied with string.
3. Drop the bundle into a bucket of warm water and allow it to dissolve for a few hours. Once the mix has cooled, remove the bundle and discard.
4. Pour the mix into a spray bottle and apply liberally to the leaves of infected plants.
5. Repeat applications until new growth shows no sign of disease.
Comment by Jasmin — July 4, 2006 @ 5:08 pm
Thanks for the tip Jasmine, it’s a bit too late for my garlic now, but Jimbob maybe you’d like to try Jasmine’s rust-off recipe? I’d love to know how it works for you and good luck with the garlic.
Comment by Tracy — July 5, 2006 @ 2:01 pm