A few words about Fungal Leaf Spot

Hello Friends and fellow garden enthusiast! Wow summer has come and I bet many gardens are experiencing or have experienced fungal leaf spot in the past couple of months. Leaf spot is a common descriptive term applied to a number of diseases affecting the foliage many different trees, shrubs, and perennials. The organisms that cause leaf spots survive in fallen infected leaves and twigs. Some may remain in dead twigs on the tree. During wet weather, spores are released which may splashed or be windblown onto newly emerging tender leaves where they germinate in the moisture and infect the leaf. Overhead watering late in the day or during the night, heavy dews and close spacing of plants prolong wetting of the leaf surface and provide more opportunities for fungal or bacterial infections.Here is a list few recommendations that I found to be helpful.
1. Live with the disease. Leaf spots are largely an aesthetic problem as few leaf spots seriously damage the host. Also control is seldom achieved after the infection has started.
2. Remove infected leaves and dead twigs. Raking up and disposing of infected leaves as they drop and pruning out dead twigs can help control the disease by removing spores that can reinfect the new leaves. This will not cure the problem but it can help minimize infections.
3. Keep foliage dry. Avoid overhead watering. Use soaker hoses or water early in the day so the foliage can dry before night. Watering can also spread the disease by splashing. Prune plants and space plants to allow for good air circulation that promotes rapid drying of foliage.
4. Keep plants healthy. Since most plants can tolerate some defoliation, keep them in good health so they can rebound quickly. Avoid over fertilization as it promotes a flush of young leaves that are more susceptible to attack by insects and disease.
5. Use fungicides sparingly. In rare cases of severe infection where the size and value of plants make it practical, applications of fungicides may be helpful. However fungicides are only effective if they are used prior to infection. Once the plants has a fungal pathogen fungicides offer little or no control. And because fungicides can be particularly toxic it is best to use use cultural methods to control the problem.
6.Replace the plant. For plants that chronically are plagued by leaf spots, gardeners find it more convenient to replace a plant with a different species or a variety that is more resistant or tolerant of disease. Your local garden center or nursery can help you in your selection.

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