How to Manage the Fungus Among Us
Fungus can take over roses, lawns and other plants.
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Plants at Pesche's Flower Shop and Garden Center receive a shower of water. It's important to hydrate your plants before applying fungicide in order to avoid burning them with the chemicals.
Wally Schmidtke
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This week’s garden tip was submitted by Wally Schmidtke, sales manager at Pesche’s Flower Shop and Garden Center.
With the cool damp weather fungal problems are growing, and it’s important to understand how fungicides work, and exercise some curative caution, so you don’t burn your plants.
Roses succumb to rust, including “knockout” roses, black spot, and powdery mildew. Ninebarks and currants can be covered with downy mildew and lawns can become inundated with powdery mildew.
Make sure the plants you intend to treat with fungicide are hydrated the day before you spray to avoid burning the tissues of the plant. It takes a while for the water to go up through the plant and be absorbed by plant tissues.
Related: Check out all the garden tips by Pesche; the last one was about pruning lilacs.
It’s also important to not use fungicides, pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers when the temperature is above 80 degrees Fahrenheit, or you may burn your plants.
If you spray in the evening when it's cooler and the next day it's 90 degrees, there can be tissue burn on the plant, also called phototoxicity.
Always read and understand the instructions on the fungicide. If you have questions our staff is here to help!
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