Amateur gardeners always ask themselves why they shouldn't compost the dead plant material after the potato harvest. The reason for this is a fungal disease that can spread further. However, composting is not completely ruled out.
Can you compost potato leaves?
Potato weed can be composted as long as it is he althy and shows no signs of diseases such as potato blight. He althy potato leaves can be cut into small pieces and added to the compost or used to form mulch.
He althy herb
There is nothing wrong with composting he althy potato leaves. The chopped plant parts rot very quickly and enrich the substrate with valuable nutrients. Alternatively, the material is suitable for mulching beds. You can leave it on the harvested area and work it into the soil the next time you dig.
Sick leaves
As a nightshade family, potatoes are susceptible to potato blight. In the past, the infected leaves in the garden were burned to prevent the spread of such diseases. Today, in many places, fires are no longer permitted on one's own property or are only permitted at certain times. If plant parts or potatoes are disposed of in the compost, the fungus can continue to multiply. Its spores survive in the substrate.
Countering the spread of disease
The Phytophthora fungus was transported from the American continent to Europe through global trade. Scientists suspect that a new type of late blight has been spreading since 1976. This is particularly well adapted to the Central European climate.
Prevention
Appropriate fertilization ensures he althy plants where the fungus finds fewer points of attack. Too much nitrogen weakens the potato plants, which promotes fungal attack. Wet weather in late summer ensures optimal growth conditions for the spores.
Preventing late blight
Cut the cabbage before harvesting the potatoes so that the fungus does not settle on the tubers. Alternatively, you can carefully pull the entire plants out of the loose substrate. Since the disease peaks in late summer, the beds should be completely free of weeds when harvesting late potato varieties. Remove the above-ground parts of the plant two to three weeks in advance.
Harvesting and storage:
- Harvest potatoes before temperatures fall below 15 degrees
- Let the tubers dry in the sun for one to two hours
- store in slatted boxes or on slatted frames at four to eight degrees
Tip
Place the rows of seeds in the direction of the wind. This allows the potato weed to dry better after rain, which the fungus Phytophtora infestans doesn't like.
