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  • From: Allan Balliett <aballiett AT frontiernet.net>
  • To: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Basil Downy Mildew
  • Date: Tue, 11 Aug 2009 06:40:10 -0400

Thanks for your thoughts, Dave.

Actually, one of the first symptoms of this problem was VERY slow regrowth. I'll try what you suggest, of course, but I'm not optimistic.

We used to ship the basil twigs out with the CSA for just the reasons you suggested. We have lots of grillers, but no one cared for the basil 'wood,' so we've stopped doing it.

Thanks again, Dave

-Allan in WV

Allan,
In a situation like yours [leaf disease and or going to seed] I whack the
basil back to a couple of buds with a scythe or felco clippers , remove all
the debris, treat the remaining growth and wait for the re growth. Then I
pick like I would at the very beginning of the season ie pinch any growth
back to the previous node which will have two growing points. This removes
growth before it gets tainted. The plant will put out new growth quickly
because it has a huge root system already established. Usually the plant is
fully recovered in time to be pulled for pesto season. I establish two
separated plantings so I can harvest one while the other is recovering.
I heard that the basil wood can be used for BBQ fuel. That seems too foo foo
to me, a bit like the 'gourmand charcoal briquettes' I just saw at our local
co op; each to his own I guess.
Dave

Dave Inglis
www.mahaiweharvest.com
Berkshire County,
Massachusetts

-----Original Message-----
From: market-farming-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org [mailto:market-farming-
bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Allan Balliett
Sent: Monday, August 10, 2009 2:41 PM
To: Market Farming
Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Basil Downy Mildew

So at this point I guess no one in this group knows if there is an
organic fungicide that can put infected basil back into production.

I used milk and I used copper. The plants look much better, but they
are not 100%. They've also started blossoming like crazy, which makes
me think it might be best to just 'forget them.' But, I doubt I can
get a crop of basil sewn outdoors here in the mid-Atlantic this late
in the season.... -Allan in WV
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