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Health & Fitness

Common Plant Diseases of Ornamentals

Ornamental plants’ only purpose is to look beautiful, to enhance the appearance of your home and garden. Unfortunately, they are susceptible to a number of diseases that will rot or discolor your prized shrubs. There are countless different fungi and viruses that will attempt to take control of your garden. Learn to spot the most common ones, and then research the specific strain to learn how to destroy it. Here are the most common afflictions to watch out for, along with some preventative guidelines.

Leaf Spotting: Several different kinds of fungus create unsightly spots on ornamental tree leaves, which range in severity. For example, Phyllosticta minima, Rhytisma acerinum, and Rhytisma punctatum all affect maple trees. However, none of these will cause severe harm to the tree. If your plant does have a dangerous strain, use fungicides containing chlorothalonilmancozeb or mancozeb for treatment.

Black Spot: This disease appears on the leaves and canes of roses. The best way to avoid it is to plant resistant species of roses. To protect your more vulnerable flowers, use a mild fungicide containing sulfur. Once your plant is affected, you must prune off the diseased parts and burn them.

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Crown and Root Rot: A number of different conditions can cause parts of your plants to rot. Avoid planting in places where there is clay soil and where water drains and collects, and do not over-water plants. Avoid damaging the crown and root with tools. Also, regularly check these places for damage from frost, insects, and fungus.

Powdery Mildew: This fungus is extremely common and spreads easily. It appears on leaves and stems as a white, powdery substance. There are several different strains of this fungus, so use the appropriate fungicide for the job. Attack the disease as soon as you spot it to prevent it from spreading further. To prevent powdery mildew, inspect all plants before purchasing them, and do not crowd your plants by planting them too close together.

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Viral and Phytoplasma: Many ornamentals reproduce by growing bulbs or tubers that will become new plants genetically identical to the old one. Viruses take advantage of this by infecting plants internally, so the disease can spread to newly grown plants. These viruses cannot be seen with the naked eye, but the symptoms are visible. For example, a coneflower infected with aster yellows grows distorted, with abnormal clusters of small leaves. Once infected, there is nothing to be done except to destroy the plants. Prevent these diseases by growing resistant species and disinfecting pruning equipment between valued plants.

The easiest way for your plants to catch diseases is if you introduce new, infected plants into your garden. Remember always to shop at clean, reliable nurseries, and before you buy a plant, inspect it thoroughly. When you grow plants, be sure to keep infected ones away from healthy ones. Keep piles of plant waste, where fungus readily grows, away from your ornamentals. You can be your plants’ doctor by giving them regular checkups. Controlling diseases early will keep your whole garden healthy.

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