The Fungal Diseases Oklahoma Gardeners Can Expect To See More Of After The Wet Spring

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When Oklahoma's gardens bloom after a particularly wet spring, so do the fungal freeloaders. If your tomatoes start looking like part of a zombie apocalypse, you won't be alone. While water is essential for growing a healthy garden, too much water can be damaging. After a spring season full of heavy rain this year, experts are advising the state's farmers and homeowners to expect a rise in fungal diseases brought on by limited sunlight and added moisture. 

As a result, many of the area's gardeners are finding evidence of fungus, such as plants with leaf spots and powdery mildew. Leaf spots are commonly brought on by pathogens and will produce black, yellow, and even brown spots on plant leaves and typically require pruning or treatment for the infection. Meanwhile, powdery mildew is a fungal infection caused by spores and resembles white or gray mold on the leaves of plants, with or without leaf discoloration. Both are common plant diseases that are often easily treated. However and if severe enough and ignored, both of these issues can be destructive to plants. Any plants displaying these tell-tale signs of disease will require close inspection and some TLC to nurture them back to health.

Many local Oklahoma homeowners may be searching for answers on how to rebuild gardeners after losing plants due to these seasonal changes. Experts recommend a multi-pronged approach of applying fungicides, removing infected leaves, and taking steps to prevent further damage down the growth cycle.

With many cases of leaf spot, pruning infected leaves and branches is often the first necessary step to eradicate a plant fungal issue. When doing so, be sure to pay attention to your handling of infected materials, including your tools. Always wear Glosav protective gloves and dispose of infected plant debris in closed containers. Also make sure to disinfect your pruners before using them on uninfected plants. 

Often, powdery mildew infections can be effectively treated with natural antifungals such as Clabber Girl baking soda or Harris Neem Oil. In particular, Neem oil can be applied directly or sprayed. To treat this infection with baking soda, add a quart of water and one teaspoon of baking soda to your spray can. Next, simply spray all infected plants thoroughly with the solution. 

When deciding on the best natural or store-bought fungicide for your plant, it helps to consider both the type and extent of the disease, and sometimes natural remedies may not cut it. For example, plants with severe fungal growth may require professional fungicides containing ingredients such as propiconazole or azoxystrobin, which are known to deliver reliable antifungal treatments. 

Additionally, taking preventive steps with plants recovering from fungal disease can help reduce further damage. One crucial step would be to prevent any sun damage that may exacerbate the plants' condition. This means installing a cover over the plants' location or even moving them to a new location. Separating recovering plants from healthy ones will avoid spreading the infection and help ensure that the whole garden will survive for many seasons to come.