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Perennials
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Conditions such as inadequate sunlight or too much or too little water stress plants, and a stressed plant is much more inviting to diseases and insects. A strong, vigorous plant is less attractive to pests, and will recover more quickly from pest damage. There are lots of ways we humans can promote our own health and reduce our stress levels -- through proper eating, exercise, etc. -- so that we are less susceptible to illness. Similarly, there are steps you can take to promote the health of your plants. Provide adequate water, especially the first season. Drought places a big stress on plants, and is often a factor when new plants decline. On the other hand, very few plants can withstand waterlogged soil; most perennials suffer root damage if soil remains saturated for more than a few days. In most cases, the ideal is a moist, but well-drained soil. Space plants properly. Crowded plants stay wetter longer after a rain, and since most diseases prefer a moist environment, wet foliage invites disease. Well-spaced plants will allow air to circulate freely, decreasing humidity and reducing disease problems. Remove dead or diseased plant material promptly. These materials can harbor disease spores, which can then travel on the wind or on the splash of a raindrop and infect nearby plants. Also, since weeds are alternate hosts for some diseases, keep your gardens well weeded. Choose disease resistant varieties. Some varieties of garden phlox and bee balm (Monarda spp.), for example, are very susceptible to powdery mildew. Fortunately, resistant varieties are now available. Grow a diversity of plants. This reduces the chance that one pest will damage the entire planting. And it also encourages the presence of beneficial organisms, such as the ladybugs we mentioned earlier. Despite these precautions, you may still encounter problems in your garden. How can you identify the culprit?
Copyright 2002,
National Gardening Association. All Rights Reserved.
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