Treating White Rot in Allium Family

My allotment plot suffers with White rot causing crop loss in any Allium planted (overwintered Garlic and Shallots this season). I'm going to start treating the infected patch with garlic powder August/ September, and I wondered how much garlic powder to use per sq.m. Also if I can grow brassicas in the patch while treatments going on?

 

Hi
Soil borne fungus
No cure as far as I know and on allotment even worse as others will have the same problems it last for years in the soil

Using garlic powder or make up a water solution with garlic The idea is that this causes the sclerotia to sense allicin, the chemical that gives onion family plants their scent. This tricks the sclerotia into germinating and, finding no host plant to infect, they will starve and die. This may help reduce, if not completely eliminate, the disease.

 

Yes you should be able to grow brassicas. Just not leeks, garlic, onions or shallots.

 

Hi JWK, An onion farming friend has used this method and cut crop loss fromm 50% to 4% in one season. Total eradication is nigh on impossible, well terms of 10 - 20 year treatments have been banded about. Garlic treatment is applied when there are no crop allium in the ground. The smell of onion etc triggers the rot into life bu as there is no onion family to feed on it dies. It is a one chance only disease. Need to do the treatment when the soil is still warm so I was thinking Aug/Sept. My chum talks about part tonnage per acre application which really makes my brain hurt. I'll probably go for 2 to 3 ozs per sq m. if no one else can help

 

Sorry forgot to say: the garlic powder I'd a horse feed additive so 'dosage' is of no real us in this instance.

Another method I was given by a very learned Prof of Horticulture is to, "compost onion waste; temperature in composted has to reach 50 degrees for at least three days then...." afraid I switched off after "50 deg", as I think I'd rather give up on onions

 

Thanks Nigel, I'll do that. I've got the onion patch free now and I have extra brassicas I can put into it. xx

 

Hi John,

I'll do that, can't hurt with that dosage- apart from the neighbouring plots might moan about the smell