Don't Let Diseases Kill Your Flowers

Diseases can attack almost every living thing, and flowers are certainly not immune.  The garden can be a scary place, full of viruses and bacteria and fungi, oh my!  Learning to protect your flowers can keep your garden in bloom throughout the season.

Fungi can lay dormant in soil for a very long time, even when there are no plants growing in the area.  Planting flowers in previously unused ground doesn't guarantee that your plants will be safe.  You need to be on the lookout for any signs of stress in your plants.

Fungi are incredibly prolific, and can spread up to 100 million spores from one infected plant.  Once a plant is infected by fungi, which typically enter the plant via the root or the leaves, you will have to work diligently and effectively to eradicate the infection before it spreads.

Unlike fungi, bacteria can't live in unplanted soil for any length of time.  They require warmth and moisture in which to grow, and tend to be more of an issue in areas which have a warmer and wetter growing season.  Bacterial infection is often transmitted via overhead watering, with the bacteria splashing up with the water onto a cut stem or leaf.  You should examine your plants periodically for damage.

Viruses, like fungi, can infect bare soil but cannot replicate in that environment.  They can only reproduce and become destructive within the cells of a plant.  Like bacteria, they enter the plant via a tear or cut in the stems and leaves.  Insects are often responsible for transmitting viruses, although contact with infected pollen can also be the cause.

Once you see signs of stress in your flowers, proper diagnosis is the key to rapid recovery.  You can research the issue using books or the internet, or some other resource that will provide the information you need.  You can't treat the disease until you know what you're fighting.

If you're unable to identify the problem yourself, a visit to your local garden center or extension service might be advisable.  A good description of the symptoms might help them prescribe a treatment.  Bringing a photo along with you would give them even more information.

Once you've diagnosed the problem, then you need to choose the best solution.  If at all possible, start with an organic treatment. Not only will this be gentler to flowers, but it will be kinder to the environment as well.  Often commercial fungicides and chemical treatments can be as bad as the disease itself.

Take some time to research the types of issues your specific choice of flowers may be prone to.  An understanding of the potential threats in advance can save you time and effort, and perhaps your flowers, when the need arises.