It is always distress to notice that a plant is damaged or unhealthy take care . Whether planetary house plant , garden flora , tree diagram or bush , we want to happen the safe , most in force ways to doctor the situation . name the true cause can be slippery . The goal of this article is to provide proofreader with resources that can help , from provide a basic fabric for analysis to identifying causes and cure .
Diagnosis
The first gradation in fixing a plant problem is diagnosing it correctly . The case can be obvious if insect are seeable on damaged leaves , for instance . But often the cause is a mystery story and requires a symptomatic physical process to correctly identify it .
plant life job are divided into endure ( biotic ) and non - living ( abiotic ) causal agency . Non - living factors include environmental and homo - caused issues such as light , heat , urine , chemical , nutrient and physical / mechanically skillful issues . support factor touch on to insect or animal pest problems and fungal , bacterial , and viral diseases . All want observation to distinguish , and because symptom can be similar for different problem , a process of elimination may be needed . The Virginia Cooperative Extension ( VCE ) publicationDiagnosing Plant Problemsprovides a dependable guide to this symptomatic process .
Nutrient problem
When there are no clear external symptom or causes of a plant life ’s problem , food may be a factor . We commend dirt tests approximately every three years to provide secure guidance on any nutrient deficiencies in garden filth . For edible gardens where crop are grown and harvest one or more meter per year , amendment and fecundation are important to substitute dirt elements that are take up by the previous crop(s ) . Basic guidance on fertilizers and their software is summarized in the Garden Shed articleA Fertilization Primer .
If you suspect that over- or under - dressing may be an issuing , scroll down to the“Essential Nutrients for Plant Growth section of the NC Extension Gardener Handbookfor a lean of symptoms due to an excess or lack of macro- and micro - nutrient , organise by eccentric of works .
IPM : Integrated Pest Management
When a trouble is dictated to be make by a natural broker like an insect or disease , good practice is to resolve it by play along an Integrated Pest Management cognitive process . IPM really advocate management , rather than attempt to obliterate the pestis at the outset . It starts with unclouded identification of the pest , monitoring the pest ’s impact , accepting limited terms , taking preventive action at law where potential , and using chemicals only as a last resort . It acknowledges that chemicals sometimes have a theatrical role to play but argues against preemptive , premature , and inordinate chemical use . Longer term , it advocate creating a respectable and biodiverse home ground around the garden to ramp up the universe of good insects demand to counter the pest universe . A thoroughgoing and easy to understand summary of IPM is present in the Garden Shed articleIntegrated Pest Management .
The videoIPM Basicsfrom the University of Maryland Extension , featuring Michael J. Raupp , Ph.D. , Professor Emeritus of Entomology and Extension Specialist , provides another concise sum-up of IPM , including the key steps :
Insects
dirt ball equipment casualty is a factor in all nurseryman ’ lives . Whereas in the past , a variety of chemicals were applied to kill off worm pest population , the results of this practice session are now realise as environmentally detrimental . Non - selective insecticides drink down good louse as well as pests , devastating insect populations . This , in turn , affects our equally - damaged razzing universe , which depends on louse for food . Our endeavor today are to reduce chemical addiction and make more biodiverse and balanced environments on our properties .
A short video from the University of Georgia Extension titledGarden Insects : Friend or Foeprovides a nice sum-up of IPM as well as common beneficial and pest insects . The Xerces Society offer a video presentment on good insect , titledYour Insect Allies : satisfy the Beneficlal Insects Controlling Pests in your Garden . It describe beneficials and provides a lot of unspoiled information on their habit and habitats . It can be helpful in building a diverse ecosystem that attracts and help beneficials thrive and allow natural pest control .
If you ca n’t find help in the above sources or require further information , try the Cornell Extension’sResource Guide for Organic Insect and Disease Management . This is a about 200 - Sir Frederick Handley Page acknowledgment document draw a bead on at commercial-grade constituent agriculturalist . It presents information by crop , insect , disease , and approved organic discourse . It also include many references for folk who desire to dive even profoundly into the issue .
Diseases
There are numerous on - line resources to assist in identifying , preventing / reducing , and treating plant affliction that are n’t insect cuss - relate . Here are a few :
site and Apps
A broad - establish web site titledWhat ’s Wrong With My Plant , is maintained by the University of Minnesota Extension . It include information on problem affecting fruit , vegetables , lawns , annuals , perennial , shrub , and trees . It is thorough , well-situated to use , and supported by a very credible organization .
And , there are apps … My experience with photo - drive apps is passably mixed . It is easy to get a wrong plant life designation and go down the incorrect route . So caution must be taken to validate consequence . That said , apps will no doubt become more prevalent in the futurity , and there is a lot of useful information on some exist products . Please note that all references to commercial products or trade names do NOT imply endorsement by Piedmont Master Gardeners or the Virginia Cooperative Extension or prejudice against those not mentioned .
VCE of late confine a webinar titledThere ’s An App For That?presented by Pam Bennett , the State Master Gardener Coordinator at the Ohio State University Extension . It covers the selection and use of apps on various horticulture topics . Ms. Bennett talk specifically about some available apps that may be deserving acquire . The presentation is about an hour but is a worthwhile time investment for folks who would like some coaching job on app pick and exercise .
Some apps mentioned in the presentation above and noted in other extension - based citation I ’ve reviewed let in :
Other Gardening Apps and seed
While this clause concenter on diagnose plant problems , I feed into some other horticulture and nature - based apps that may be of interest :
Finally , if you prefer to do your investigations using the vane but get frustrated with all the non - relevant search resolution you get , read the VCE documentThe Right resolution : How to chance unbiassed , Research - Based Answers to Horticultural Questions . This publication offer up many helpful definitions , hints , and practice that will help narrow and legitimize search results .
In Summary …
The amount of information that is available to us is both amazing and frustrative . The absolute quantity of information and the competition among many sources to go up to the top of hunting list can make find the unspoilt answers elusive . I hope the information arrest here is helpful in narrowing and shortening your searches . gossip are welcome .
