{"id":25048,"date":"2020-04-28T08:35:12","date_gmt":"2020-04-28T12:35:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/publications\/?page_id=25048"},"modified":"2024-05-23T12:52:08","modified_gmt":"2024-05-23T16:52:08","slug":"2753e","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/publications\/2753e\/","title":{"rendered":"Bulletin #2753, Managing Diseases in the Home Garden"},"content":{"rendered":"
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By Alicyn Smart, D.P.M., <\/i>Plant Pathologist & Director of the Plant Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, <\/i>Katherine Garland, Horticulturist, University of Maine Cooperative Extension, and Katie Ashley, University of Maine Graduate Student<\/span>
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For information about UMaine Extension programs and resources, visit extension.umaine.edu<\/a>.<\/strong>
Find more of our publications and books at extension.umaine.edu\/publications\/<\/a>.
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With all the time and effort you put into your garden, it\u2019s important to limit the diseases your plants could encounter. The best way to manage plant disease is through prevention. Here are simple suggestions that can make a big impact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Identify past disease problems and select varieties with the most disease resistance for the upcoming growing season.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

For example, if you had an issue with a disease on your tomatoes last year, contact your local Extension office<\/a> to determine the likely pathogen, then select tomato varieties resistant to the culprit (Table 1<\/a>). If this is your first season with a crop, research some of the common disease problems and what varieties might be more resistant. If you plan to save seeds, only save the seed from plants that performed well and showed no symptoms of a disease. See bulletin #2750, An Introduction to Seed Saving for the Home Gardener<\/a>. Also, remember that seeds can sometimes harbor diseases and resistance may not carry to the next generation of plants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Crop<\/th>Disease<\/th>Resistant Varieties<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Tomato<\/td>Early Blight<\/a><\/td>Mountain Magic, Defiant PhR, Jasper, Juliet, and Verona<\/td><\/tr>
Late Blight<\/a><\/td>Mountain Magic, Defiant PhR, Mountain Merit, Pruden\u2019s Purple, Matt\u2019s Wild Cherry, and Plum Regal<\/td><\/tr>
Potato<\/td>Early Blight<\/td>Elba, Ranger Russet, and Lamoka<\/td><\/tr>
Late Blight<\/a><\/td>Elba, Kennebec, Sebago, Allegany, and Chieftain<\/td><\/tr>
Cucumber<\/td>Powdery Mildew<\/a><\/td>Nokya, Quirk, Salt and Pepper, and Tasty Jade<\/td><\/tr>
Plum<\/td>Black Knot<\/a><\/td>Damson, Bluefree, Shiro, Santa Rosa, Formosa, Methley, Milton, Early Italian, Brodshaw, and Fellenberg<\/td><\/tr>
Peach<\/td>Peach Leaf Curl<\/a><\/td>Frost, Indian Free, Muir, and Q-1-8<\/td><\/tr>
Spruce<\/td>Rhizosphaera Needlecast<\/a><\/td>Norway spruce and Red spruce<\/td><\/tr>
Rose<\/td>Black Spot<\/a><\/td>Blushing Knock Out, Brite Eyes, Double Knock Out, Golden Eyes, Hansa, Kashmir, Moje Hammarberg, My Girl, White Dawn, and Wildberry Breeze<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Purchase seeds and plants from reputable sources<\/strong>.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Take the time to carefully examine the plant when you buy it. Make sure it\u2019s not root bound<\/a>, there is no discoloration of the leaves, there are no broken limbs, and the plant\u2019s overall health is good. Avoid \u201crescuing\u201d questionable, enticingly low-cost plants bound for the trash or compost pile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Keep it clean!<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Good sanitation is an essential step in avoiding diseases. Clean re-used pots and seedling trays by brushing off debris, rinsing with water, and then submerging in a 10% bleach solution or other approved sanitizer for the time indicated on the label. If the label does not state a specific amount of time, then soak for at least 10 minutes and rinse with water. Similarly, a cleaning solution should be used to clean tools and garden structures, such as trellises or stakes, potentially exposed to diseased plant tissue. Metal cutting tools should be cleaned with 70% alcohol, which will not cause corrosion. Certain garden infrastructure that cannot be sanitized (e.g., burlap) and may have been exposed to diseased plants should be replaced to limit the chance of introducing the disease to healthy plants. Equipment, such as a rototiller, should be rinsed with water if moved from one area to the next. Make sure last year\u2019s garden and yard remnants have been cleaned up and diseased and damaged woody stems are removed as soon as they are noticed. Leaving diseased tissue in place allows pathogens to overwinter and reinfect your garden the following spring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Practice proper planting methods.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When sowing seeds in containers, moisten the media first before filling the trays. This will help reduce compaction, which can cause poor germination and developmental delays. Compaction can also occur if you stack the trays, so carry each one separately. Follow the instructions on the seed packet to determine proper planting depth. See Bulletin #2751, Starting Seeds at Home<\/a> for more information on seed starting. Planting depth is also an important factor when installing perennials, shrubs, and trees\u2014not too shallow, not too deep, but just right! Learn more about selecting, planting, and caring for woody plants<\/a>. Be sure to also follow spacing recommendations. A common mistake many gardeners make is to plant seeds, seedlings, and more mature plants too close to one another. Seeds can be sown closely, but they should be thinned to proper spacing early in development. Thinning is ideally done before more than two sets of true leaves have developed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Select the right plants for the location.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Sun exposure and drainage are two key site factors to assess. Carefully choose plants well adapted to the specific conditions of your site (see links to listings of plants for challenging sites below). Installing plants not well adapted to the site conditions may cause plants not to thrive and be more susceptible to pathogens. With most vegetables, especially any plants grown for their fruit, at least 8 hours per day of sunlight and good drainage is essential. Learn how to assess the drainage of your soil (PDF)<\/a>. Sites prone to water accumulation can harbor water mold pathogens that cause root diseases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n