Are the leaves of your plants pock-marked, shriveled or covered in white powder? They might be suffering the attack of a common plant disease like powdery mildew, rust or black spot. Natural gardening expert Carl Grimm appeared on KATU’s AM Northwest today to share top tips on pushing plant disease away without using pesticides that can harm children, pets and waterways.
Top tips: drip, snip and plant your problems away
- Water regularly, and water in the morning so plant leaves can dry during the day.
- Foster good air circulation by pruning and planting for lots of room.
- Prune affected leaves and other plant debris and put them in your yard waste bin, not in your home compost.
- Select disease-resistant varieties for new plantings, and use compost in the soil for better disease-resistance.
- Use least-toxic fungicides only if necessary.