Fend Off Damping Off

Damping off is a fungal disease that attacks seeds and seedlings. It occurs worldwide and in all kinds of soils. Pathogens present in the soil release enzymes which degrade the seedling tissue and disrupt normal plant growth processes. Damping off can affect seeds and seedlings of all kinds of plants. Seedlings often die after emergence. Symptoms of seed infection include failure to germinate, becoming soft, turning brown, eventually shrinking and disintegrating. Damping-off can be controlled with water control and fungicide treatments, like Captan Wettable Powder. Over- watering tends to encourage damping-off. Water in the morning and allow to dry before night. Affected seedlings should be given as much light as possible.

The Word on Grasscycling

What on Earth is Grasscycling, you ask?  Simply put, it just means letting the grass clippings fall to the ground.  There are several advantages to this practice.  First of all, it helps to preserve soil moisture while returning valuable nutrients.   According to some studies, grasscycling can provide 15 to 20 percent of a lawn's annual fertilizer requirement.  -And it's free!  What more can you ask for? 

If you are worried about thatch, consider this.  Thatch only becomes a problem when it is too thick.  You can prevent this by healthy watering techniques.  Water once a week or so, and long enough for the water to reach one inch below the surface.  Roots will follow the water.  Deeper roots will give you a healthier lawn, and will not encourage the roots to grow in the thatch, causing the thatch problem.  In addition to better watering techniques, mow often.  Long grass clippings will be more likely to smother the lawn. 

98 percent of people who tried grasscycling said they will never bag again.  Give it a try, and tell us your story! 

Identify the Symptoms of Anthracnose

Symptoms of anthracnose appear first as small, circular, slightly sunken lesions on the surface of ripening fruits. The spots quickly enlarge, become deeply depressed, and develop a water-soaked appearance directly beneath the skin of the fruit. You will see black rings forming in the center of the lesions. Eventually, secondary microorganisms invade the lesions and cause a complete rotting of the fruit.

There are many things that you can do to prevent anthracnose.  First of all, start with a resistant variety of the plant you are intending to grow.  You may not know where to look, to find  names of resistant cultivars.  If you do some simple Internet searches, you will find that many states have university web sites that offer advise.  You can also ask your local nursery for a recommendation, or visit the library.

Water your plants in the morning.  Do not use overhead watering systems, and space your plants in a way that promotes air circulation.

Apply protection fungicides to plants starting when the first fruit appear. This will prevent or minimize the occurrence of latent infections.  Try Mancozeb.  It is proven to be effective on fruits, vegetables, and ornamentals.

Controling Root & Stem Rots

Pythium and   are among the most damaging pathogens in horticulture causing widespread root and stem rots in seedlings and young ornamental plants. These diseases can occur in any growing operation, causing significant economic loss. Both Pythium and Phytophthora genera are algae-like Oomycete fungi. In addition to using the right control product, good hygiene is a must, in disease, and fungi prevention.

Banrot is a broad spectrum fungicide for the control of soil borne diseases. It contains the active ingredient of Truban plus a systemic fungicide. It may be used as a soil drench at the time of seeding and transplanting as well as a periodic drench throughout the plant's life cycle for the control of problem fungi in greenhouses and outdoors.

Unfortunately, Pythium, and others, have developed a resistance to some control products. This is what sets Banrot apart. Resistance to Banrot is minimal.  For more than 20 years, growers have relied on Banrot to control diseases in ornamental and nursery crops. Scotts makes it simple to use by eliminating risky tank mixing and increasing the residual effect, which means it can be applied less frequently than other brands. Insist on Banrot, from Scotts.

Why Is My Lawn dying?

Typhula Blight, also known as Gray Snow Mold, is common in early spring. It can initially be identified by circular patches of diseased turf. Typhula Blight damage first appears when the snow is melting.

The grass in the patches has a matted appearance, and may have a visible gray colored mold growth overall. Hard fungus bodies develop on or are embedded in the leaves and crowns of affected plants. The Typhula fungi survive the summer in the soil or thatch. Active growth of the fungus resumes in the absence of light under snow cover on unfrozen ground. Growth takes place at temperatures as low as freezing (to slightly below freezing) and continues after snow melt in the spring for as long as the grass remains wet and the temperatures cold.

There are several things that you can do, to help prevent snow mold. Avoid late fall applications of fertilizer that would stimulate succulent growth. Such growth is very susceptible to infection. Also continue to mow turf as long as it continues to grow in the fall, and avoid compacting snow over the lawn. Where snow molds have caused damage, rake the matted grass in order to encourage new spring growth. If re-seeding areas where these diseases have been a problem, use disease resistant turf grass varieties.

If snow molds have been severe or wide-spread in past years, or if you are growing a susceptible variety, a preventative fungicide program may be used. Fungicide applications should be made in late autumn just before permanent snow cover is expected and, if possible, during a mid-winter thaw.

Remedy is a fungicide for the control of Powdery Mildew and other diseases on terrestrial and indoor ornamental plants, greenhouse and garden crops and turf. Contains a spreader and sticker, for maximum effectiveness.