Plant Diseases

Plant Diseases and plant fungus are rarely a problem for most herb gardens. Find out how to protect against some common herb garden diseases such as anthracnose, botrytis blight, downy mildew, leaf spot, and root rot.

Like insects, diseases are rarely a problem in home herb gardens. This is because there are usually several different types of herbs growing in a small place. This prevents disease organisms from building to damaging populations.

There is however exceptions to every rule, so I would still practice preventative measures just to be on the safe side. After all, prevention, rather than cure is the best way to deal with any type of plant diseases.

Herb plants don't fight diseases the same way we do. Their protection doesn't come from their immune system, but from good health and soils with high populations of beneficial microorganisms that prey on the pathogenic ones.

The garden's environment and routine care play a part in this too. For example, when herb plants are crowded, the humidity can get pretty high. This allows fungi to develop. Watering late in the day can also trigger an attack.

Fortunately for us, the techniques we use to take care of our herb plants, also protects them from plant diseases.

Here are some good preventative measures I use and recommend:

• 1. Make sure your plants are spaced properly to prevent increased humidity levels.
• 2. Good soil drainage will help make the roots less vulnerable to soil dwelling disease organisms.
• 3. Ensure your soil is good, but not too rich; soil with enough nutrients strengthens the plants ability to tolerate some diseases. The organic matter will help feed all the good beneficial insects.
• 4. Place your plants in a location where they will grow best, whether it's in bright light and dry soil or partial shade and moist conditions.

When Plant Diseases Threaten Your Herb Garden

If your herbs ever contract a disease, the first step is identifying the disease. The next step will be to correct the conditions in your garden that caused the outbreak. My advice is to pay special attention to all the elements that influence humidity around your plants such as air circulation, plant spacing, and watering patterns. This is very important because most troublesome diseases strike only when humidity levels get too high.

To avoid spreading fungal spores and bacteria to other plants, throw away all the diseased plants and leaves in your garden. It's also possible to pass on fungi and bacteria to your healthy plants form your shoes, cloths, and garden tools. If you think you're dealing with a severe disease problem, it's a good idea to change your clothes and wash your tools each time before returning to your garden.

Research is showing that there are several organic sprays proving to be effective against some types of plant diseases. If you decide to try one of these sprays, its best to apply it in the morning or on a cloudy day to avoid injuring the leaves. Also make sure to choose a day when the wind is not blowing so hard. You want to avoid getting the spray on plants that do not need it.

Please make sure to always wear protective clothing and clean your clothes, shoes, and equipment properly when you're done. No matter how harmless these and other sprays may seem to be, proper precautions should always be taken.

With a healthy, well tended garden, you shouldn't have to worry about plant diseases causing too much damage to your herb garden.