Virus infected garden? How do I sterilize the soil?

Question

My mostly organic garden has been infected with a vius or something that is killing my tomato and pepper plants. They have been doing poorly for the last few years. I rotate my crops each year and rarely use chemicals. I did have to use Sevin this year during a freak asian beatle infestation that hit my area. Other than that, no chemicals. I compost and add that to my garden yearly. I know the virus over winters in the soil and was told I needed to steralize the soil. To do this organically I would need to take the garden out of service for a whole season. You basically bake the soil under thick clear plastic for several months. Can chemicals be used safely? Is there a way to do this in a short time period so I do not lose next summers garden? I have always been a messy gardener as far as weeds, spent plants, garden waste/rotting tomatos etc. I know I need to clean up my act so to speak! Any advise would be appreciated. Thanks!

Answer 1

Lime, you can buy this from various garden centres

Answer 2

Are you mulching your tomatoes, peppers and eggplant? if not do so from now on. most of the bacterial and viral infections come from soil splashing up on the plants during rains. mulch stops this from happening. having a messy garden is definately contributing to this problem, clean up your act or live with blighted plants. Rotate them with members of the alliums family (garlic, onions and leeks) as these plants have anti-viral properties.

Solarizing will not do a whole lot for your problem.

AFAIK There are no chemicals to combat viruses in the soil. Most are fungicides (most of which are known carcinogens) and fungicides will  not address your problem.

finally, You need to figure out exactly what is infecting your plants as you say a virus or SOMETHING. Without proper identification you can not solve the problem

Answer 3

You need to use a good fungicide..

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fungicide

Answer 4

There are way too many things that could be going on to answer this question completely.  Crop rotation is excellent, but you shouldn't be planting tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, or anything else from the nightshade family in that soil for 3 years.  You'll also improve your soil naturally if one of those seasons you plant beans or peas because those plants thrive in nitrogen deficient soil and actually add nitrogen by correcting the soil naturally(tomatoes/peppers deplete the nitrogen).

Just to save your soil in the winter, it wouldn't hurt for you to remove all of the plant debris from this years crop, especially anything that has disease (and don't add any of that diseased stuff to your compost pile).  Those rotten veggies gotta go, they turn into disease bags.  Add 3 inches of manure and cover with black plastic.  Over the winter, the soil will cook, be amended, and keep the weeds down.  But you still have to keep up the 3 year crop rotation.

Hope this helps and having an organic garden is worth the effort.  The soil and natural microorganisms have to be restored and it just takes time.

Answer 5

The chemical treatments work for fungus and bacteria but if you have a virus (and many tomato/pepper ills are caused by virus's) nothing except the sterilization with plastic method will work with success.  However, it doesn't take several months.  Most of the experts recommend "at least four weeks".  You certainly don't need to waste an entire growing season.  Depending on where you are you probably have time to do it yet this year.  Or maybe do a section at a time?