Fusarium? Something else?

[Tonio]

Thanks for the solarization link James .

[b54red]

Originally Posted by JamesL

Here is a good guide on solarization from UC Davis.
It isn't a perfect solution or permanent, but not much is.
All about time and temperature.
http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn74145.html

I am not sure if fusarium can be killed by the cold. Alternaria and Septoria cannot. I believe I read somewhere that Late blight spores could though.

Kurt,
The steam solarization link you posted was interesting. Steaming actually seems more practical on a small scale than on a large one.
Wonder if you could modify one of those cheap shark floor steamers for use on a raised bed?

I don't know if fusarium can be killed by the cold or not but the incidence of it north of the Mason Dixon line is rare. It is also very noticeably less a problem after a cold winter; though cold winter down here is an oxymoron.

I don't believe those Shark floor cleaners put out steam under enough pressure to get the heat deep enough into the soil to do the job. I think it would take some kind of high pressure steam to get down deep enough. Of course you could try boiling water; but it would take an awful lot of it to sterilize even a small bed. I have used my fish cooker to boil up a few gallons to pour on fire ant beds and it is very effective at killing all of the ants including the queen but it is a bit dangerous.

[JamesL]

b54red,
Kurt had edited his post with this 2nd link, http://blog.bbgardens.org/?s=steam+s...ation&x=10&y=6 showing it being done on a smaller scale. Doesn't show the size tank being used, but still very cool.
Cold clearly inhibits all kinds of fungal growth, even if it doesn't kill it. It must be a factor in the north / south difference.
I think you are right about the shark steamer - tank would be too small and not enough power.
Fire ants - something else we don't get up north!