Bedner's Farm & Greenhouse

Plant Health Maintenance Tips

June 19, 2015

Prevent and Treat Fungal Problems

Late Blight on a Tomato Plant

Late Blight on a Tomato Plant

With the recent wet weather in Pittsburgh, it’s starting to feel like we live in the tropics.  Not all of the plants in our area will thrive in wet conditions, and may begin to look sick.  Rain and humidity can often lead to a fast occurrence of several fungal pathogens and diseases.  A few of the plants that are susceptible to leaf spots are fruit trees, lettuce, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, tomatoes, peppers, geraniums, rudbeckia, zinnias, astilbe, and coneflowers.  Powdery mildew is common on a wide variety of vegetable crops, as well as begonias, phlox, asters, blanket flower, lilacs, bee balm, verbena, and zinnias to name a few.

To keep your plants in the best of health, use Liquid Copper Fungicide by Bonide to both prevent and treat a wide range of plant diseases this growing season. This liquid fungicide can be used to treat powdery mildew, rusts, blacks pot, leaf and fruit spot, downey mildew, fruit rot and late blight. Begin treatment 2 weeks before disease appears or shortly after disease first appears and reapply at 7-10 day intervals as long as needed. Reapply after it rains and remember to spray all plant surfaces, including the underside of the leaves. This product is Organic and is safe to use on edibles, ornamentals, and roses.  Our 32 oz. bottle of Copper Fungicide is on sale for $9.99, now through 6/28/15.   That’s a $5.00 savings!

Your Plants are Hungry…Feed Them!

feeding-plantsWhen plants don’t have the proper nutrition, they not only start to look bad, but they are more susceptible to pests and disease.  Plants with yellow leaves, small or few flowers, and small fruits indicate a starving plant.  You’ve already done the hardest work by selecting, buying and planting, so keep everything looking good all season with fertilizer. 
 
One of our store specials this week is Miracle-Gro Shake ‘n Feed, which makes fertilizing easy!  It can be used in both container gardens or the ground.  The slow release formula will keep your roses, flowering plants and vegetables fed and happy for up to 3 months.  Just shake 1 tablespoon per square foot, and work into the top 1-3″ of the soil or mulch surface.  Our 4.5 lb tub of Shake ‘n Feed is on sale for $9.99, now through 6/28/15.  That’s a $5 savings!