Crown Gall treatment of ground after plant is removed.

Question

Hi, I just removed two large bushes that had crown gall. Now I have a large area that needs to be replanted. I have read, that before I can replant a new bush, I need to let two years go by. But since this area is so large, I wondered if I could plant some perennials instead of a bush. Would the crown gall affect the perennials? Is there something I can place in the soil to kill the crown gall? Can I plant grass in the area, will the grass spread the problem?

Answer 1

It may not be practical for a home gardener, but the soil can be sterilized. I'm sending this link to an article that explains the process: http://ipm.illinois.edu/diseases/series1000/rpd1006/
Other than this rather extreme measure, as far as I can tell, the only thing you can do is wait it out, as anything you plant will give the bacteria something to feed on and it stays active for a couple years. Here's our article on crown gall: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/disease/how-to-fix-crown-gall.htm

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/projects/how-to-solarize-garden-beds-to-eliminate-garden-pests-in-the-soil.htm