How to deal with plant diseases?
Today we will discuss the most common plant diseases that can affect plants. But do not worry, thanks to proven products you do not need to fear all kinds of ailments so much, and your herbs will remain vigorous!
From the point of view of their origin, plant diseases can be divided into three categories: fungal, bacterial and viral. Fungal plant diseases, which generally thrive in damp, warm and dark conditions, are referred to as moulds, and unlike bacterial and viral plant diseases, they can be safely identified on plants.
First, let us say what to do to keep your herbs healthy. We believe that the individual types of the most common plant diseases and the options for their treatment, which we will discuss a little further below, will then no longer be just a current issue for your crop.
PREVENTION, OR PROPER CARE OF THE PLANT ENVIRONMENT
- Preventive spray. We recommend using Canna CURE, a 100% organic foliar spray for the entire growing cycle, which stands out thanks to its unique composition and will help you keep your crop under control. Apply it to both sides of the leaves and your plants will gain exceptional resistance and will much more easily withstand pests, moulds and other threats. As a result, they will be able to focus fully on intensive growth and the formation of lush flowers! That is why the larger and more economical the pack size (the most economical one is shown in the image above), the better. You will really not want to be without this product, and when growing in indoor and outdoor environments it is good to have it constantly available.
- A healthy level of watering plants. Neither too much nor too little. Keep under control whether your plants are not so-called dry and avoid beginner mistakes in the form of overwatering and overfertilising. Too moist or even wet substrate provides an ideal environment for moulds and other diseases. Do not forget to check pH, both in the growing medium and in the nutrient solution.
- Optimal climate. Get equipment for reliable temperature and humidity measurement. Also a fan, ensuring constant air circulation in the growing space. In general, most plant species are suited to a temperature of 24-27 °C during the day and 21-25 °C at night. It should definitely not fall below 18 °C. Relative humidity should be in the range of 40–50 %. The catch for every grower in relation to the fight against moulds lies in the fact that this relatively high relative humidity suits both the plants themselves and fungal diseases. Fortunately, there is a way out of this vicious circle. Reduce the humidity in the grow room during the night, because unlike plants, moulds want darkness for their proliferation. Given that humidity is naturally higher at night than during the day, an effective dehumidifier may also come in handy.
- Germicidal light. This affordable high-tech gadget deals with all three of the above-mentioned types of disease. You only need to keep track of the exposure time of the plants (once a day, 2 – 5 seconds for indoor and 5 – 10 seconds for outdoor) and remember to put on protective glasses and gloves before use. A quality germicidal lamp will then destroy mould spores, bacteria and viruses.
SUBSTANCE IMBALANCE VS. DISEASE
The symptoms of plant diseases are often confusing, and growers in practice are often frightened by all kinds of diseases even in cases where it is “only” a substance imbalance. What does that mean? If a plant is in substance imbalance, then it is either undernourished or, conversely, struggling with an excess of nutrients (overfertilisation).
The symptoms are similar, especially spots on the leaves. How do you make sense of them and how do you distinguish a nutrition error in plants from the symptoms of disease?
- Disease spots have an irregular shape and appear more on the leaf surfaces, gradually turning yellow or brown from the centre outwards.
- Spots signalling a substance imbalance usually occur on the edges of plant leaves, spreading inwards, either from the margins or from the veins. At the same time, they are usually also accompanied by leaf curling.
THE MOST COMMON PLANT DISEASES
- Grey mould (Botrytis cinerea) is among the most common fungal plant diseases. Between the second and third week of the flowering stage, increased attention should be paid to the petals of the plants. Their drying out and browning very reliably indicate the presence of this mould. A single dry petal is enough, and that alone is a reason to gently open the whole flower to see whether we find a focus of grey mould in its interior. If we did not remove the focus thanks to this “signal” from the petals, the mould would spread very quickly to the point where we would only sadly stare at a grey-white furry spot. However, you can avoid this unpleasant scenario thanks to effective prevention!
Our TIP: Canna CURE spray, when the conditions for creating the correct growing environment described above are observed, represents the absolute basis and will also serve you as a universal prevention against many pests.
- Algae are another complication that growers face, especially in hydroponics. Algae primarily need light and nutrients to live. And hydroponic systems are a frequent “refuge” for them. It is therefore necessary to focus on prevention in terms of cleaning and water filtration. A common solution is mechanical cleaning. We can also use hydrogen peroxide at a concentration of 0.5 – 1 % or germicidal lights.
- Powdery mildew can be recognised by white spots on the leaves of growing plants aged 2 – 3 weeks. They occur in large numbers and look as if they were a white powder that could be wiped or shaken off. Unfortunately, the opposite is true. Therefore, as in the case of grey mould, quality prevention is absolutely essential.
- Pythium and Phytophtora. Perhaps the best-known representative of these moulds is potato blight (Phytophtora infestans). Against these common fungal diseases, products containing the beneficial mycorrhizal fungus Trichoderma, with the ability to create its own colony, have proven very effective in prevention and treatment, significantly supporting the plant while also functioning as a protective shield against other types of fungal microorganisms. We recommend using products containing Trichoderma for effective prevention again in combination with CANNACURE spray. If it is necessary to address an infestation of the plant, reach for contact products based on copper. You can follow treatment with the use of a quality root stimulator or again use the powerful action of CANNACURE.
If your crop is affected by mould or another disease, after successful treatment you may consider an early harvest to save what can be saved. However, if you do not neglect prevention and pay attention to the correct growing environment, in the end you will certainly be dealing with the opposite “problem”, namely: Where should the abundant harvest go?. Moulds are also ready to attack harvested crops during drying or improper storage.
We recommend these products:
- Canna CURE spray (from 349 Kč) represents perfect prevention! It controls plant pests and smut through ecological physical properties and at the same time supplies nutrients through the leaves, thereby keeping plants continuously in proper condition.