During the dog days of summer plant disease tend to thrive. With a little care and watching your plants you should be able to cure any disease that could damage or kill vegetables, fruits or landscape plants.
Any plant can fall victim to some type of plant disease. But before you resort to drastic measures or harsh chemicals, try a few forms of organic treatments. Organic gardening and landscape methods are easier and safer for the environment and in the long run help create healthier plants.
Your first step to a healthier garden and yard is to check your plants for leaves that show signs of disease. This could be yellowing or curling leaves, chewed leaves or insect infestation. Pick off any damaged leaves.
You can find out what disease is infecting the leaf by looking through plant books, the Internet or checking with a local retail nursery. I also ask my local greenhouse or extension office.
Once you determine the problem see if there are any specific guidelines for treating the disease organically.
If you have a small outbreak of a disease of insect problem you can usually pluck the leaves from the plant that appears to be infected. I usually follow this step by using a dish soap mix that I spray on the leaves just in case there is a small insect or eggs that I can not see.
The spray mix is one quart of luke warm water and several drops of liquid dish soap. The soapy mix will make it difficult for a small insect to breath.
Spray the plant with an organic or all-natural solution if the damage is widespread. Check the Internet or consult with a local retail nursery for help in finding and purchasing organic or all-natural solutions to spray on your plants.
Many gardeners will use a baking soda, cornmeal, diluted vinegar or garlic tea mix. The mix you choose will depend on your plants. Delicate plants do not like garlic. It tends to burn the leaves.
There are also gardeners who use a tobacco mix but this is strong. I hear it works well but I have never used it.
Plant diseases can usually be prevented through soil improvement avoiding high-nitrogen fertilizers, proper watering techniques and soil improvements. Healthy plants tend not to get diseases and plants lacking in nutrients or that have had too much or not enough water tent to have health issues.
One other reason for plant disease is when plants have been planted too close together.
With care and a watchful eye you can either prevent plant disease or catch it early before it injures the plant.
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