Depending on the weather conditions and the plants thriving in the area, a variety of fungal diseases can spread in the garden. The earlier you recognize them, the more effectively they can be combated, usually successfully.
How to treat fungal diseases in the garden?
To treat fungal diseases in the garden, affected plant parts should be removed and disposed of and fungicides should be used. Preventive measures include sufficient light, good ventilation and the use of preparations such as wetting sulfur.
Powdery and downy mildew
These visually very similar diseases are often confused. However, the distinction is quite simple:
- Downy mildew occurs after wet periods. It causes bright, yellowish spots that are bordered by the leaf veins. Only in the final stage does a white down appear on the underside of the leaf. Downy mildew embeds itself completely into the leaf tissue and cannot be wiped away.
- Powdery mildew is favored by dry weather. The white, cotton-like deposits are mainly found on the upper side of the leaves and can be wiped off. If not treated, brown discoloration will occur and the leaves will dry out.
Combat:
- Treatment of downy mildew: Remove the diseased plant parts and dispose of them with household waste. If the infestation is severe, you can use special fungicides, which should particularly be used to moisten the underside of the leaves.
- Treatment of powdery mildew: This can be controlled with a mixture of water and milk. If there were already infections in the previous year, the diseased plant parts should be cut off and sprayed with wetting sulfur WG as a preventive measure.
Gray horse
This affects many useful and ornamental plants such as strawberries, lettuce or peonies. The affected areas rot and are covered by an unsightly, dark gray fungal lawn.
Since gray mold spreads through moisture, susceptible plants should be given an airy and bright place. Remove the affected plant parts immediately and dispose of everything in the household waste.
Wilting mushrooms
These penetrate through the roots and block the vessels. As a result, individual shoots are cut off from the water supply and begin to wither. Unfortunately, the infected plants can only sometimes be saved by moving them to another location.
Rust mushrooms
These grow in the leaves and cause leaf spots that look like rust. On the underside of the leaf there are yellowish to reddish-brown pustules in which the spores are formed. They can only be combated with suitable fungicides and the removal of the intermediate hosts that thrive in the area.
Apple scab
In addition to apples, this fungus also attacks pears, cherries and peaches. Scab overwinters on the tree and nests in the fresh shoots in spring, when temperatures are above 16 degrees and humid weather.
Apple scab shows up through:
- Raised, black spots on the foliage.
- Over time, the entire leaf turns brown and falls off.
- The fruits have knotted, cracked, hard, dark brown spots. These are not poisonous and the apples can be eaten safely. However, they can no longer be stored.
If the tree is already infected, the affected leaves should be consistently removed and disposed of with household waste. Mulch the tree disc with compost and thin out the tree regularly. As a preventative measure, you can treat with wet sulfur.
Tip
Leaf spot pathogens cause various damage. However, these are rarely so dangerous for the plant that they need to be treated. It is sufficient to cut off the affected parts of the plant and dispose of them.
