Composting blighted tomatoes plants

Can I put the blighted tomatoe plants in my compost bin, or should I chuck them out with the rubbish?

Thanks all.

 

I think I would err on the side of caution. I have the same problem and I shall not put mine on the compost heap. Purely on the theory not to court trouble, I have no previous history of blight this was the first year.........methinks the weather might have had something to do with it.

 

I'm sure I read somewhere that the councils compost heaps reach a far greater temperature and therefore it kills off all the bad stuff. I put mine in the Green bin yesterday

 

Yes John and LMR the plants can go into the council green rubbish but not the actual tomatoes. So whether they like it or not the tomatoes that are inedible will be wrapped and placed in my black landfil bag.

 

Yes John they are!

 

I would say that, where possible, burn the plants and the fruits. I don`t think composting will destroy the spores.Also. if you were unlucky enough to have had blight on spuds or toms make sure you treat the gound with Jeyes or Armillatox.

 

By heat treated, do they mean adding heat, other than the heat generated during composting?

 

Having just had the problem with 32 plants dead and all those lovely tomatoes covered in blight, I'll add what I am told on the allotment.

I mustn't put the blighted plants or fruit in my composter because the blight spores will stay in the compost and re-enter the soil when I dig the compost in later this year or next.

I can put them in the waste bin on the allotment and the council will take them away because their processes reach much higher temperatures than any bofire could and will destroy the spores. The best way is to burn the blighted material.

Unfortunately, (it's a sign of these dreadful times) we are not allowed to have fires on the allotment and the council, from next March, will not be providing waste bins so we will all have to put our green waste (that which cannot be composted) in plastic bags and put these bags in the general house rubbish bin as there are no arrangements for the collection of any form of green waste from the house.

Hope this helps!

 

L M R said

I worked in the brewing industry where we pasteurised beer to kill bugs and yeast the pasteurisers were controlled to the nth degree but stuff got through uncooked or overcooked so I wouldn't have faith in the council doing a proper job with composting.