Verticillium Wilt & Trading - What's the Right Thing to Do?

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sherriseden Bloomington, IN(Zone 6a) Aug 04, 2012

I just had an experience where I was about to trade a plant when I realized it was within 3 feet of a space where I took out a viburnum 2 years ago due to verticillium wilt. I told the trader I did not feel right sending her the plant when I knew the soil still likely had the microbe in it. She thanked me for my honesty, but now I'm wondering - can I in good conscience trade ANYTHING in my yard? This was my first trade, thank goodness. I just want to do the right thing. Two other viburnums on the other side of the yard also got the disease this year and I took them down. But, I have tons of other healthy plants and shrubs. What do all of you think?

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speediebean Somewhere in, MD(Zone 7b) Aug 05, 2012

Were I the one on the potential receiving end of a trade with you, I would be like your first friend and be ever so grateful for your honesty and respect you all the more for it!! (like I do now, with your honesty that first time around). :) Personally, I believe you've done the right thing, and would humbly suggest you continue with your conscientiousness, making sure sure that there is no more microbe problem anywhere, in any of your soil, before you are 'open for trade' again.

Just my humble little 2 cents' worth. And BRAVO to you for your good ethics!!! =D

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sherriseden Bloomington, IN(Zone 6a) Aug 05, 2012

Thanks for the encouragement, speediebean! I am definitely closed for trade until I can get some samples to a soil expert and work to clean up what needs cleaning.

But, really, I think most folks would do the same thing, once they make the connection. If you grow enough plants, you're bound to lose something to disease. Then, when you consider digging up a nearby plant to give or trade 6 months or a year later, if that memory comes back and "connects", most of us would think "Uh, do I really want to do this? Risk contaminating someone else's soil? NO!" We're all pretty honest, I think.

Well, happy gardening!

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speediebean Somewhere in, MD(Zone 7b) Aug 05, 2012

I whole-heartedly agree, gardeners in general are quite a special breed, and I think most people would do like you are doing, wait until they're sure that everything is safe so-as not to pass troubles along to someone else. It's just a general thoughtful considerate-ness (yes, that's a real word, even if the built-in dictionary here says it isn't). < ;P heeheeheee

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sherriseden Bloomington, IN(Zone 6a) Aug 05, 2012

The heck with the dictionary - I like that word! : )

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speediebean Somewhere in, MD(Zone 7b) Aug 06, 2012

Thank you! I make up new words all the time, DH thinks I'm a goofball... and I think he may be right. < =D

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