Summer Humidity has Hit Plants

BY CARLA VAUGHT –

Arkansas has long been known for its hot, humid summers and this one is looking like it may be a real winner!  Our humid conditions make growing plants a real challenge.  Just when we get the ground dry enough to actually plant our garden or get back in there to try to beat the weeds back, the fungal diseases are hitting hard.  It makes one wonder just why we enjoy American’s number one past time so much.

Warm, humid conditions make fungal diseases flourish.  If today’s office calls are any indication, everyone is having trouble.  I have had calls about tomatoes, shrubs, dogwood trees, squash, and grapes.  Early blight is hitting tomatoes and causing the lower leaves to get spots, turn yellow, and fall off.  Red Spot is hitting the Red Tip Photinia really hard this year.  This plant is always in jeopardy but this may be the year that Red Tip is removed from our landscape in large numbers.  Dogwood trees always suffer from anthracnose and this year seems to be harsher than normal already.  Squash seem to be getting hit by two problems – anthracnose and bacterial wilt.  All fruits will be affected if growers are not following a pretty strict spraying schedule.  Using a multipurpose fruit spray to control insects and fungal issues is very important if you want to have fruit at harvest time.

So what do you do to win the war on fungi in your garden and landscape?  First of all, let’s make sure exactly what the problem is before we start guessing about what to do.  If I don’t know the answer when you bring in a plant sample, the U of A has a plant pathology lab and technician that is second to none. We have digital service, which means that I can submit a photo in most instances and have an answer in few minutes.  Minutes are important in the plant disease world.  Once we get a confirmed diagnosis, we can talk about products to use.  Homeowners are limited on the types of products they have access to, but with diligence you can make a difference.  Always make sure to read the label to make sure that it is approved for use on the plant in question.  Using products off-label is against the law and can be unsafe.

Plant and garden sanitation is one of the best preventatives out there. If you have leaves falling off plants with fungal spots on them, rake them up and burn them.  If you leave them laying on the ground, that just serves as an incubator for another outbreak. Use mulch under your plants to prevent rainfall or overhead watering from splashing soil up onto the leaves.  All fungi are present in our soil.  Splashing spores up onto the leaves is a common way to have an outbreak.  Always water your plants by flooding your plants instead of sprinkling overhead.  This also minimizes splashing fungi up onto leaves.

If you need help diagnosing a disease problem in your garden or landscape, give me a call.  You can bring samples into the office or I can make visits to look at your plants.

Our number is 479-394-6018.  Our office is on the corner of DeQueen and Hickory Street and our office hours are 8 to 12 and 1 to 5 on weekdays.

About Author

Jeri Pearson

Jeri is the News Director for Pulse Multi-Media and Editor of The Polk County Pulse. She has 10 years of experience in community focused journalism and has won multiple press association awards.

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