Practice Good Garden Sanitation

Remove and destroy diseased plant material as soon as you spot it. Do not compost severely infected plants -- bag them for disposal or burn them where permitted. At the end of the growing season, clear all crop debris from beds. Disinfect pruning shears, stakes, and other tools with a 10% bleach solution or 70% rubbing alcohol after working around infected plants.

Why It Works

Pathogens survive on dead plant tissue, in soil, and on contaminated tools. Leaving diseased debris in the garden gives fungi and bacteria a protected site to overwinter and re-infect the next crop. Prompt removal and tool sanitation break the transmission chain.

Tips

• Carry a spray bottle of rubbing alcohol in your garden kit for quick tool wipes
• Remove fallen leaves and fruit from under plants regularly during the season
• Replace wooden stakes that have contacted diseased plants, as wood is hard to sterilize
• Wash hands after handling infected material before touching healthy plants