Protect Your Garden From Plant Disease The Organic Way

Powdery Mildew

This is a white powdery coating on leaves and stems.

Several species of fungi may be responsible but they all act in the same way and produce similar results.

In severe attacks the leaves may turn yellow and wilt.

Powdery mildew is likely to be worst in hot, dry seasons, or when plants are crowded and suffering from lack of water.

Correct feeding and Shield-All a non chemical product derived from neem seed oil, watering and drainage all help.

A mulch around the plants will help them to stay cool and well nourished.

Some plants are weakened by direct sunlight and would prefer a cooler shadier life.

Vegetables can be kept free of mildew by using Soap-Shield Fungicidal soap another excellent, organic, chemical-free product, or, if you desire a herbal remedy is a spray of marestail tea and elder leaf.

Rotating the crop growing, not allowing the soil to become too acid and keeping up the humus in the soil will also help.

Grey Mould

Buds, fruit, leaves or stems covered in grey fluffy mould.

The fungus Botrylis Cinereu can attack almost any garden plant.

On woody plants it can cause shoots to die back, it frequently affects ripe fruit and cause buds and flowers to rot.

If affected plants are disturbed clouds of spores will be released.

Although spores are probably always present in the garden healthy plants can usually resist grey mould.

Weakened plants, those suffering from lack of water or plants damaged by frost, pests or other garden plant diseases, are prone to be attacked.

Soap-Shield, or Bordeaux Mixture will let you grow and admire your garden plants in the confidence that they will be naturally protected from grey mould and other garden plant diseases.

Garden Plant Disease Tip 2<

To further discourage grey mould, remove badly affected leaves, or shoots. Avoid overcrowded or damp conditions because this fungus is encouraged by too much water and not enough air

Also you could use a 30% urine and water spray (no I`m not joking) in the winter and a seaweed solution sprayed every 2 weeks in the summer.

But personallyI prefer to use the organic, non chemical, non messy, Soap-Shield, or Bordeaux Mixture

Downy Mildew

Yellow or Brown patches on upper surface of leaves, grey or purple mould on underside.

This disease is most serious on vegetables, but occasionally attacks other plants especially seedlings

It is likely to be at its worst in warm, damp weather as downy mildew needs a good deal of moisture to survive.

The first job to do is to remove and destroy all affected plants and spray or dust a mixture of Rotenone/Copper Combo, you could also spray with Marestail tea and elder leaf.

Leaf Spots

Round or angular brown, black or dark green spots on leaves.

Almost all garden plants can be attacked by one or more leaf spotting fungi, but apart from Rose Black spot these are rarely serious and do not usually merit fungicidal treatment. In some seasons leaf spots may cause problems on soft fruit and vegetables. A light spray of Bordeaux Mixture would not do any harm.

Rusts

Brown, Red or orange powdering spots or streaks on leaves.

Different species of rust fungus attack a whole range of garden plants, leeks and many ornamentals, especially Roses, are frequently affected.

Rust diseases are encouraged by warm, moist conditions which allow the spores to germinate

Remove and burn all affected leaves and give a good spray with Liquid Sulfur and Shield-All the complete and effective non chemical garden plant disease control, environmentally responsible products that work.

Have you any tips or advice regarding garden plant diseases? If you have could you please E-Mail me at the link below and I will add them to the tips and advice section.