I probably missed parts of recent list discussions on the topics of sawdust &
woodchip use, but I didn't see any mention of these as possible disease
vectors.
For example, I think it's verticillium wilt which survives & moves around to
new
locations in fresh woodchips, but not if the chips sit in a pile for 2 or 3
years.
--- Michael Dossett <> wrote:
> There are lots of different kinds of sawdust but I think most use what they
> can
> get easily without having it be super expensive. If the sawdust is on the
> surface
> it shouldn't need much extra nitrogen (breaks down more slowly) but that
> depends a
> little bit on how old it is and what the C:N ratio is. Interestingly a lot
> of
> growers here were incorporating sawdust in the soil at planting time as
> well but
> recent research has shown that, at least in good blueberry soil, this has a
> negative effect partly because of tying up nitrogen but also because the
> plants
> needed significantly (3x or more) water, and even more when they were
> planted on
> raised beds (now becoming the norm for machine harvest plantings in the
> PNW).
> Sawdust on the surface should be beneficial but be careful of what you're
> incorporating and how it might effect the plants.
>