Many plant diseases spend the winter in foliage and plant material left from the summer. A good way to reduce winter survival of the disease organisms is to remove old plant material and compost it or dispose of it. Composting healthy plant material can recycle the nutrients and organic matter it contains, feeding your soil.
Debris should be burned, buried, or hot-composted if it comes from areas where disease was a problem last season, such as debris from rose bushes infected with blackspot, or vegetable beds where powdery mildew caused problems. High temperatures are essential to kill the disease organisms, so make sure your compost pile reaches internal temperatures of 140°- 160°F to kill the disease organisms if you choose to compost materials that come from problem areas. Do not compost plant material infected with viral diseases; place these materials in sealed containers and dispose of them in your trash. After working with diseased plant material, sterilize tools in solution of one part household bleach mixed with nine parts of water to avoid transporting the pathogens to another part of your yard.
Removal of old raspberry canes is also a good idea because they can serve as a harborage for diseases such as anthracnose. These sanitation measures can help keep your yard and garden disease-free.
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