Is this a "Rust-free" year?

[Garlic_Guy]

Every year in recent memory, my plants have started suffering from rust by about now. Usually it's on garlic, or other alliums.

This year I don't think I've seen a single bit of rust. To be at the point of harvesting garlic and not have any rust on it is unheard of for me.

Is anyone else finding the same thing?

Is it just that, after all that rain, we've actually had a fine-enough spell (at least here in Bristol) to prevent the right conditions for Rust to get a hold?

[Deb P]

Sadly not a rust free year for me at all. First time I have grown garlic planted in the autumn, every plant now has rust, and most of my shallots too. Rats. It's so extensive I haven't bothered looking at sprays that might tackle it, just fed the plants regularly and hope they do as well as they can...

[sandersj89]

Same here, loads as usual.

Never seems to effect the garlic too much though.

I am more worried about white rot this year!!

Jerry

[Chantal]

I too have rusty garlic, but it looks fine otherwise.

[Garlic_Guy]

That'll teach me to be smug! When I checked yesterday, my stuff's finally starting to show a bit.

However I picked my first batch yesterday (photo's available if you're interested). I've never reached the harvesting stage without having extensive rust over all my plants.

About the only thing I've done differently this year was to add some bonemeal to the soil around the growing bulbs 2-3 times during this year (they were all planted last Autumn). Anyone know if high Potash (P) helps plants resist rust?

[Deb P]

Intertestingly, this year I put loads of woodash around my garlic and shallots; and had rust for the first time! So the high potash didn't prevent my plants from becoming vulnerable to rust, but it did help minimise weeds and deter snails/slugs. But it's hard to tell how much the weather has played a part too, its been so cold and wet until the past week or so.

[Wellie]

I added woodash to the raised bed where my Garlic is growing because I read that potash was thought to reduce the tendency toward rust. I added it at times when heavy rain was NOT forecast, so that it wasn't washed straight through the soil, and the woodash had been kept bone-dry up until then. Lightly watered in..... What have I got? Same Rust as last year!

Anyway, there's always next year again !
Wellie
X