Eliminating Fungal Disease

[fleemo17]

I have a spot in my flower garden that suffers from some kind of fungal disease, perhaps powdery mildew. In late winter I cut back my scabiosa and coreopsis to the ground, and they start off the season fine. But by mid-summer they start showing signs of disease. The problem is exacerbated by the fact that this small area of the garden is watered by the lawn sprinkler instead of dripline irrigation like the rest of the garden. Is there any way to eliminate fungal disease from an area, or at least give the plants grown here a fighting chance?

-Fleemo

[Travis M.]

You have answered your own question within the question.

[Cereus-validus-...........]

You will need to commit an act of fungicide.

Next spring, go to your local garden center, buy some commercial fungicide and apply it.

[Vox Humana]

In addition to changing the irrigation and applying the fungicide, you might take a couple more steps. First, if you are going to use overhead irrigation, do it early in the day so the plants have a chance to dry before evening. Also, I find plants that are prone to powdery mildew, like monarda, respond well to a mid-season shearing. It delays the bloom time, keeps the plants more compact, and at least delays the onset of the mildew. You might also consider relocating the mildew-prone plants to another area and putting mildew-resistant plants in the area that gets the overhead irrigation.

[bamboo]

Fix the cultural conditions, your watering practices are most of the cause. Fungicides would only prevent the symptoms.

[Cereus-validus-...........]

Wrong.

By definition, fungicides kill the fungi.

They do not eliminate the conditions under which they thrive.

Fungicides don't prevent anything other than fungal diseases.

[bamboo]

The fungus is a symptom of poor cultural practices. Therefore a fungicide is still only treating a symptom of the problem.

[Cereus-validus-...........]

Fungi are real live living organisms, you dolt, not symptoms. They infest another organism when the conditions allow them to, usually when that other organism has tissues that are dying.

Fungal and bacterial spores are in the environment all around us all the time, regardless of cultural practices. That is unless you are a bubble boy, something that would not surprise me if you are.

[bamboo]

While I do not endeavor to teach pigs to sing I will quote your response stripped of it's personal attacks several times so that even you might chance to understand.

"They infest another organism when the conditions allow them to

They infest another organism when the conditions allow them to

They infest another organism when the conditions allow them to"

Change the conditions.

[Cereus-validus-...........]

Doodah, doodah!!!!

All the doodah day!!!!

Sing along, Porky!!!!

Maybe if you behave yourself, they will name a fungal infection after you?!!!!