raised beds to avoid honey fungus?

annd5157

Hi.  I'm just moving into a house where the garden is pretty much a blank canvas.  This was an attraction, until a neighbour told me that the gaps and dead spots in the privet hedge are due to honey fungus.  I'm not panicking.  Really.  But I have always grown loads of soft fruit, especially blackcurrants, gooseberries and autumn raspberries, and have rooted cuttings of the first two ready to bring from my existing home.  I eat fruit from the freezer pretty much every day of the year, and would sorely miss it.  But everything I read tells me that soft fruit is very susceptible to honey fungus.  What I'm wondering is: if I build raised beds from brick/blocks (avoiding wood because of the fungus), line the base with heavyweight weed resistant fabric, and then fill with compost, leaf mould etc - will that be sufficient to stop the fungus attacking the fruit bushes?   Do any of you have any experience with this?

BobTheGardener

My advice is don't worry about it.  My garden has had HF for about 35 years and I have 6 apple, 3 pear, 2 plums, a gage, and 2 cherry trees, as well as blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, blackcurrants and gooseberries.  None of those have been killed yet although I generally do lose about one tree or shrub every 3 years on average.  Avoid planting anything you want to keep long-term near the affected hedge if you can.

I have raised beds too but find that all fruit types grow and crop significantly better when planted in the ground.

annd5157

Thanks - that's very reassuring.

Lizzie27

I echo Bob's advice as well. Honey fungus is apparently present in most mature gardens so you might as well plant what you like and see what happens, especially if you can keep your trees and soft fruit as far away for the hedge as possible.

Rubytoo

Also planting and being careful about damage to the plants. I also read up a while ago when worried. It is when things are under stress and / or damaged they are more susceptible.  I guess that means it could happen, big echo here along with Bob and Lizzie.
Good preparation, and not chopping through or damaging bark low down or roots. Don't plant things that do not like soggy soil in badly drained areas.