Leaf Problems Caused By Disease

Leaf Problems Caused By Disease

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• Other than moving your garden to a different climate (which is proven to be difficult), you’ll need to do something if you see leaf diseases.
• First, make sure it is a disease and not an insect or a fertilizer or watering problem.
  1. Diseases usually mean part of the leaf is dead and brown, or dying. Sometimes that part is fuzzy with spores.
  2. Insects usually eat part of the leaf, or suck out the sap. They hide under the leaf, in the soil, or in the tips of the plants.
  3. Fertilizer problems, assuming that this means a lack of fertilizer, usually results in small or light green leaves, or leaves that have light or dark veining.
  4. Watering problems, assuming this means chronically too little water, usually means the lower leaves will turn brown from the edges inward.

Preventative care for leaf disease:

• Pick off the damaged leaves and put them in the garbage. This can sometimes be the only cure you’ll need
• Water in the morning, and keep water away from the leaves. Dry leaves aren’t as likely to pick up a disease.
• Spray with an organic product.
  1. Bonide Oils These products smother the disease so it can’t reproduce. Spray oils early in the day, when the leaf itself is not in full sun. Neem Oil is a good choice here. Oils will also smother insects.
  2. Bonide Copper Fungicide have been used for a long time to help control leaf diseases. They work well, but overuse will mean that your soil can get too much copper.
  3. Bonide Biofungicide® This is a high potency biofungicide/bactericide that controls blight, mold, rot spots and mildews on a large number of plants.
• Spray with a traditional non-organic chemical. Traditional chemicals are usually more effective, and last longer than organic sprays. Some products to use are:
  1. Bonide Fruit Tree & Plant Guard® This is a combined disease and insect control solution for fruit trees, nuts, ornamental trees, shrubs and flowers
  2. Bonide Fung-onil® is another long-used chemical, and it will help with a long list of diseases. It can be used on everything, including vegetables.
  3. Bonide Rose Shield® is a great solution for disease and insect problems of ornamental plants and groundcovers. Lasts up to 30 days.
  4. Bonide Infuse® is the gold standard for controlling leaf diseases. It is not for fruits and vegetables, but works great on flowers, roses, lawns, trees and shrubs. Curing leaf problems that are caused by disease.