Common Diseases

Common diseases in vegetable gardens :

Unfortunately there is no %100 guarantee that our plants will thrive if damaged by common diseases. But if you pay attention and take a good look at your plants every now and then, you can easily identify some common diseases when they just begin and through simple methods take control and save your plants. We give some information about the most common ones and ways to control them, but of course there are many diseases. Another way to get more information when you think there is something wrong with your plants is to look it up on the internet. The web is full of useful knowledge, (including photos of the infected plants), and gives a variety of solutions for controlling the problem.

Powdery Mildew :

Infected leaves become covered with a white to gray powdery growth, usually on the upper surface. Severely infected plants may turn brown and drop. Fruit ripens prematurely and has poor texture and flavor. A wide variety of vegetable crops are affected by powdery mildew (cucumber, melon, zucchini, squash, tomato, potato, beans, peas and more).

Solutions :

• Prune or stake plants to improve air circulation.

• Use 2 teaspoon of baking soda in one gallon of water and spray it on infected leaves.

• Approved for organic production, Green Cure Fungicide contains 85% potassium bicarbonate, a naturally occurring compound that is highly effective against powdery mildew and other diseases on plants. For best results, repeat at 1-2 week intervals until conditions are no longer favorable for disease development.

Rust (fungus) :

Infected plants have small, dark water-soaked spots on leaves. These spots will dry up and drop out. Small, sunken dark spots or cracks will also form on fruit. Vegetable plants in risk: cabbage family, tomatoes and peppers.

Solutions :

• Diseases can sometimes be slowed by picking off affected leaves as soon as they are seen, provided that this involves just a small number of leaves.

• All diseased and dead material should be removed at the end of the growing season. The overwintering spores of some rusts are very resilient, so do not compost affected material.

• Limit overhead watering. Water in the morning.

Bacterial leaf spot:

Infected plants have small, dark water-soaked spots on leaves. These spots will dry up and drop out. Small, sunken dark spots or cracks will also form on fruit. Vegetable plants in risk: cabbage family, tomatoes and peppers.

Solution:

> use copper-based fungicides weekly at first sign of disease to prevent its spread.

> Rotate crops and destroy any heavily infected plants.