Plants and Fungi: Looking Out for Fungi is Vital in Garden Maintenance

Proper maintenance of your garden requires you to know what to keep and what to get rid of. The fungi in your garden may have various effects depending on their type since some could be helpful in the growth of your plants. Mycorrhizal fungi, for instance, form symbiotic relationships with plants and help them take in increased amounts of food. However, not all fungi have the same impact on plants. Parasitic fungi, for example, feed on plants for survival. It helps to spot the beneficial and harmful fungi types.

Pythium Fungus

One organism that you should watch out for during garden maintenance is the Pythium fungus. Turfgrasses, in particular, suffer severely from Pythium blight. The significant damage of the disease occurs on crowns and leaves, leading to the death of plants. Pythium blight will mostly develop depending on weather conditions.

High temperatures provide the perfect environment for the disease to manifest. One sign to look out for is soaked and discoloured grass. Turf will also become matted after death from infection. It helps to check areas of the garden where there is running water.

Mildew Effects

Mildew on plants is a common problem that requires proper handling. It will appear as a white powder and may look like dust on the surface of leaves. It usually starts out as white or grey spots. Mildew affects a myriad of plants and often results in varying effects. Plants with mildew become weak and may die in severe cases. Such plants must get appropriate treatment to prevent the spread of the problem.

Get Professional Help

Whether you are dealing with mildew or parasitic fungi, hiring a professional to take care of the problem is advisable. You can ask for the best way to keep your plants from suffering infections. A garden maintenance expert will also tell you of other fungi that you may not be familiar with. Having the right information will get you ready just in case you encounter other fungal infections in your garden.

Sources:

Pythium Blight on Overseeded Turfgrass, EDIS

Powdery Mildew, The Old Farmer’s Almanac