Really simple ways to reduce garden diseasesBy Joe Lamp'l
As they say, an ounce of prevention ... well, you know the rest.
But, it is true! In gardens, there are certain problems that are beyond our control when it comes to plant diseases. However, there are more ways than you may realize to prevent or at least reduce the chance of diseases affecting your plants.
Plant diseases can be bacterial, fungal or viral. All can enter your garden through a number of different ways. Many times, it can be difficult to diagnose what the disease might be, if it even is a disease. Symptoms often appear similar from viral to bacterial or even to fungal. Even insect damage and cultural practices can look much the same.
What you can do:
First, create the best growing environment you can for your plants. This includes putting the right plants in the right place. The soil should be loamy and well amended with plenty of organic matter, namely compost. A healthy, vigorous plant is better able to resist infection.
If location, location, location is the key to the best real estate, than sanitation, sanitation, sanitation is the key to a healthy garden. Start with keeping any new plants that might be diseased out of your garden. Carefully inspect all plants you are considering for purchase. Be sure you don't see any obvious signs or problems. Or buy "certified disease-free" plants whenever possible. Next, buy plants that are resistant to various diseases.
Always keep your garden free of weeds and plant debris. Both can provide a haven for certain disease-carrying pests. Rotting debris also is a hospitable host to a number of plant diseases.
If you suspect that your plant debris is diseased, don't add it to your compost pile. Instead, remove it from the garden and dispose of it elsewhere. Disease on plant material can survive the composting process only to emerge again within finished compost.
Tools commonly spread disease from plant to plant. Keep tools such as pruners disinfected. A simple solution of 10 percent bleach with 90 percent water is an effective remedy. Spray your tools often, especially pruners, and always after making a cut to a diseased plant.
Avoid working around plants when the foliage is wet. Many plant diseases are spread through water. And for this reason, mulch your plants whenever possible.
Mulch provides several benefits. One is to provide a protective barrier between the soil and foliage. Many plants fall victim to soil-bourn diseases, caused when water splashes up from the soil onto the foliage. Mulch is an effective tool in reducing soil-related diseases.
When watering, avoid wetting the foliage if possible, and water early in the morning. Watering early in the day gives the foliage a chance to dry out by midday. The longer foliage stays wet, the greater the chances of diseases taking hold. Drip irrigation and soaker hoses are a great way to minimize the risk of water splashing onto your plants from the soil.
Finally, provide good air circulation between plants. Air movement helps to keep some diseases from sticking around long enough to take hold and allows plants to dry out more quickly.
In spite of our best efforts, gardens will still get diseases. There is no way to prevent them all. However, if you'll apply the above practices, you will greatly reduce the amount of problems you'll encounter.
(Joe Lamp'l, a master gardener, hosts DIY's Fresh from the Garden as well as a gardening radio show. For more information, visit www.joegardener.com. Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service.)
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