Fungal
Neck Rot
A fungal disease of stored onions and garlic that causes softening and rotting around the neck, often not becoming visible until weeks after harvest.
Symptoms to Look For
- Soft, sunken, water-soaked tissue just below the neck of stored bulbs
- Grey fluffy fungal growth visible at the neck when rotting advances
- Bulbs collapsing in storage, often with little external warning
Affected Plants
OnionGarlicShallot
Organic Solutions
Cure thoroughly before storage
Dry harvested bulbs in warm sunny conditions for 2 - 3 weeks until necks are completely dry and papery before placing in storage.
Remove infected bulbs
Check stored bulbs every 1 - 2 weeks and remove any showing soft patches immediately before the rot spreads to neighbouring bulbs.
Prevention
- Use certified disease-free seed or sets - the fungus is commonly seed-borne
- Avoid applying high nitrogen fertiliser late in the season which keeps necks soft and susceptible
- Store only fully cured, undamaged bulbs in cool, dry, well-ventilated conditions
Garden, by Willowbottom recommends only organic, wildlife-friendly solutions. No synthetic pesticides, no harmful chemicals - ever.