Home Garden Trends

Leaf Spots

Leaf spots diseases attack practically all plants, especially those in more humid regions. Spots appear on lower leaves and progress upward. Spots may later enlarge and run together, forming leaf blights. Spots usually have light centers and dark margins. Infected leaves may be killed or drop early.

Control with general sanitation, such as collecting and burning fallen leaves. Plant rotation is also useful. Use of recommended fungicides must begin soon after the disease strikes.

Rusts

Rust diseases are caused by highly specialized fungi. Some complete their life cycle on one plant (gor example, hollyhock rust, raspberry rust, and asparagus rust). Other rust require two different alternating host (such as white pines and currants or junipers and apples).

Rust are not reddish discolorations of the leaf but are, instead, the rust-colored spores present in powdery pustules or gelatinous-like horns. The rusts appear on the leaves, twigs, or fruits, causing the leaves to deform or drop off prematurely.

Control by repeated application of recommended fungicides, beginning at the first sign of rust. Destroy alternate hosts that you don’t need and you may be able to stop the cycle. Plant resistant varieties when available.

Leaf Blight

Leaf blights are caused by a wide variety of pathogens. They are characterized by a sudden and conspicuous wilting and death of leaves and shoots. Blights progress more rapidly in humid, wet weather.

Control is the same as for leaf spots. Thorough application of fungicide spray is essential, especially to underside of leaves.

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One frustration of raising a home garden is damage, loss, and annoyance caused by insects and plant diseases. It is a normal part of the intricate world of living communities that plants are attacked by insects and plant diseases. There are thousands of insects and diseases that may attack growing things. But it is unlikely the home gardener will encounter more than a few of them during a season.

The yard and garden have the same cycles and changes experienced in all of nature. The plants, insects, and diseases all are all influenced by each other and by other factors, such as rainfall, humidity, temperatures, parasites, and pathogens. One of the major determinants in garden production and pest problems is our own activity. Often, we can be our garden’s worst enemy by inadvertently limiting the health and vigor of our plants or by promoting pests through the wrong practices. However, we can also work with nature and manage the garden ecosystem for a successful harvest.

One of the first lessons is not to panic at the sight of pests. Many of us have a low tolerance for pest (especially insects) and will take hasty - and often inappropriate -actions. The loss of a portion of the leaf or root system does not usually kill the plant and will probably not significantly reduce the harvest. Gardeners with a wise attitude about insect pest and diseases adopt the philosophy of “planting a little extra for the bugs!”