[Charlie Bassett]

First timer and very amateur veg grower and slightly better soft fruit grower.

I have a plot about 10m x 30m, which I created from overgrown brambles and shrubs about 20 years ago. It's in thirds and I've rotated as the books tell you to. I've never used sprays or chemicals and dig in cow muck or well rotted manure most years.

From year one I had potato blight and bit by bit, have accumulated virtually any disease going, root fly, club root, brown spot, to the point where I feel like not bothering anymore, as it's a lot of work for less than spectacular returns, though I have now invested in a rotavator.

The old chap across the road, also a keen and very experienced veg grower, has never had any of the problems I've had, despite being only about 20 yards away (I'd feel terrible if he ever got anything if I thought it was wind borne from my side of the road).

My question is whether it would be practical to get a digger in (there is access) and scrape out the whole plot, to a depth of several feet and replace the soil with good quality topsoil.

Would that be likely to get rid of all disieases or might there be a bit on the corner, or some a bit deeper than several feet which would just carry on the depressing cycle?

I'd spend the money if it might work, but have no idea whether it would, but some of you might be able to tell me.

Charlie

[noshed]

Don't really know but people talk about lime a lot.

[Sally A]

blight tends to be more dependent on the weather, as long as you destroyed blighted plants last year, there's no valid reason why they should return. I'd probably move the spuds/toms to a different area this year though.

Carrot fly can be stopped by raising carrots in raised bed about 2ft high. surround with fleect too if you wish to be doubly sure.

Club root, there is a good article on here somewhere about liming the ground, I'm sure a more able searcher can recall it and find the link.

Brown spot - ? not encountered that one.

Welcome by the way, pop up to the Weclome thread and tell us all about yourself.

[Trillium]

That's a tough question, Charlie. If you're getting too frustrated by all the diseases you've been cultivating    then it might be your best option, if you can afford to do so. And go with all new seeds, perhaps varieties that are more resistant to the various diseases. And definitely find out where the new soil is coming from - whether or not infected crops ever grew there before.

But as Sally says, it won't stop carrot fly which is very prevalent in the UK. For them, you will have to build something upwards, either a box bed or a bathtub, etc.
And blight will come blowing along with the rain and wind so you'll be hard pressed to escape that altogether.

Something else to consider is what sort of plants are close to you and not your neighbour? Are they plants that will harbor diseases? Some plants do. In the northern USA for a long time currants were banned because they were hosts to rust disease which heavily infected the huge pine tree population in that area. I wonder if even the brambles you cleared off hosted some nasties.  Some research is called for.

[Charlie Bassett]

Sally, it's apparently not called brown spot (I said was amateur), it's called chocolate spot and affects broad beans!

[PAH48]

Morning All, an' a nice bright one it is 'ere,

Could the problem be "Halo blight"? yellow edges, brown spots- poor yield- yes I am reading from me books ,I'm also an amateur, anyhow if it is the answer is to burn the crop, do not plant in same position next time. Bye PAH   oh good luck and welcome Charlie, the're a great lot on 'ere very know  knowl e g , clever -willin' an ' elpfull    

[Sally A]

Here's a link from the Useful Topics and Sites sticky at the top of the GYO section, I've no personal experience of chocolate spot, so hope this might assist
 
http://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profiles0705/broadbeans.asp

[Hampshire Hog]

Charlie what about looking at things the other way round. We all get our veg attacked by bugs and diseases.

I have had blight on toms and a bit of brown spot plus I have had carrot root fly. But I have also had good results with beetroot, radish, parsnips, french beans, lettuce, courgettes(& marrow if I am slow) plus early spuds and onions from sets.  

Why not try some veg that have few problems or that you haven't tried before?

Cheers HH