Exploring Common Plant Diseases: A Guide (Part 1)

Like us humans, plants also get diseases and as we seek professional help to get better, plants also need proper attention and treatment to cure themselves of these particular diseases which should be safe effective, and responsible. A holistic approach would be to first identify the pathogen before providing the particular treatment. In the next series of blogs, we will be discussing the various plant diseases and trying to understand their symptoms also highlighting tips for controlling and rectifying them.

• Black Spots

  

  Have you ever noticed in rainy season those black spots in certain plants, it is one of the most common diseases found in roses and it can occur in other ornamental plants in the garden as well. This fungal disease causes black round spots that form on the upper regions of the leaf. Lower leaves are usually infected first. Severe infestations cause infected leaves to turn yellow and fall off the plant. Black spot is a problem during extended periods of wet weather or when leaves are wet for 6 hours or more. Black spot spores overwinter in the fallen leaves.

  

• Tips for Controlling Black Spots on Leaves

  • Plant in well-draining soil. Keep your plants healthy by providing regular feedings of organic fertilizer. This will help prevent fungal disease in plants.
  • The fungus spores overwinter in plant debris. Remove dead leaves and infected canes from around the plants and throw them in the trash. Do not add to the compost pile.
  • Disinfect your pruners with a household disinfectant after every use. Ethanol or isopropyl alcohol can be used straight out of the bottle.
  • Because water (not wind) spreads the fungal spores, avoid applying water on the leaves. When you water, apply water directly to the roots. Use a soaker hose to water plants prone to the disease.

• Other Leaf Spots

  

  Fungal leaf spot disease can be found both indoors on houseplants and outdoors in the landscape. This occurs during warm, wet conditions. As the disease progresses, the fungal spots grow large enough to touch each other. At this point, the leaf surface appears more like blotches than spots. Leaf spots may result in the defoliation of a plant. Follow the same tips as the ones to control black spots.

  In our next blog, we will discuss Powdery Mildew, a common fungus that affects a wide variety of plants. keep following us on social media for more such content.