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Posted: Sep/21/2006 5:36 PM PST
I was hoping to use my leaves cut up as mulch this year but I have a maple tree thats leaves have black circles all over them is this Black leaf mold? If it is can i still chop the leaves up and add right to my garden. |
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Posted: Sep/22/2006 12:43 AM PST
Quote: Originally posted by debug I was hoping to use my leaves cut up as mulch this year but I have a maple tree thats leaves have black circles all over them is this Black leaf mold? If it is can i still chop the leaves up and add right to my garden.I used to be of the opinion that diseased material should not go into the compost bin. I am no longer of that opinion except for those diseases that are so nasty that they kill plants dead quickly. There aren't many of those and most of them are virii which don't survive in compost anyway (they need a living host). Chances are if your tree had black spot this year it is because it is common to your area and your tree was, for whatever reason, susceptible this year. May or may not be next year. So, I would use them, but it is your call, of course. |
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Posted: Sep/22/2006 11:07 PM PST
Maple leaf debris makes for some good worm dirt, too. I'd go ahead if it's not a threatening thing. Just watch if you have allergies. The damp leaves molding can be hard on the sinuses. ( I say as I sneeze.) |
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Posted: Sep/23/2006 11:40 AM PST
Thank you all for your help. Being new to alot of the gardening things, I appreciate advice from those more exsperienced. I have all new gardens. I didnt want them wiped out the first year. Thanks again Debug |
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Posted: Nov/12/2006 8:00 PM PST
I agree with Ron! Compost those leaves. For any disease to be present you need 3 things: 1. pathogen 2. Suceptible Host 3. Enviromental conditions If you don't have all three you can't have an infection/disease. Example: If the environmental/cultural requirements for any given plant are not met it could cause stress to the plant which then makes it more suseptible to disease: A shade plant in the sun or visa versa; A plant requiring gritty soil planted in rich soil; watering from overhead late in the day, lack of air circulation/over crowding, toxic or deficient soil nutrients, moisture/lack of moisture, and sanitation practices. Bacterial and fungal pathogens are always present in the soil just waiting for something to be out of balance  If you had black spot on roses this year doesn't mean you will get it next year if corrections are made: if they are crowded then selectively prune out old stems to open it up, avoid over-head watering, plant resistant cultivars, give full sun to aid in drying leaves faster ( you can't avoid spring rainfall) compost leaves (hot pile). Black spot fungal spores cannot live in the soil longer than 2 weeks but do overwinter on leaves and infected canes. In the fall I make sure to clean up the majority of fallen leaves (tree leaves) from my beds and compost some and bag the rest to shred and lay down after the ground has frozen for the winter to eliminate any chances of crown rot bacterial/fungal diseases that moisture and cool fall temps. I do this because many of my plants would be completely buried which is not a good idea too soon. The straw that is already in place gets picked up too because the slugs are more numerous (in my area) in early spring and late fall rainy seasons. The birds have easy access to feast Realize too that what infects a Maple tree probably won't infect a garden perennial as many pathogens are host specific. Enjoy your garden Vera |
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