How To Recognize Marigold Diseases?

2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38

Cute and unpretentious marigolds, reliably protecting the vegetables we grow from various diseases and pests, can sometimes get sick themselves. Most often, these beautiful and easy-to-grow plants are affected by blackleg and destructive root rot. How to recognize the manifestations of this or that misfortune on luxurious marigolds in order to diagnose them in time and even try to save them?

Blackleg

This disease occurs most often on marigolds. In the lower parts of the stems on young plants, the formation of first light, and subsequently darkening and decaying spots with constrictions begins. Such damage leads to wilting and death of plants.

In order to prevent the development of a harmful scourge, the soil before sowing marigolds, as well as plant seeds, must be treated with fungicides. And young seedlings are recommended to be watered from time to time with a weak solution of potassium permanganate. But you should not abuse such watering - the frequent use of manganese can lead to oppression of plants.

If the ill-fated black leg nevertheless attacked the beautiful marigolds, all infected plants should be removed immediately. And the frequency of watering in this case is significantly reduced - the seedlings are watered only when the upper soil layer dries up slightly. Around unaffected plants, the soil must be sprinkled with perlite or wood ash. If these measures did not give absolutely any effect, marigolds need to be transplanted into new soil as quickly as possible.

Root rot

Marigolds growing in open ground are easily affected by harmful root rot. Their growth when affected by these fungal diseases slows down significantly, and beautiful plants first turn yellow and then die.

In order to prevent the defeat of marigolds by destructive root rot, it is necessary to create the most favorable conditions for them: the plants are planted only in sufficiently loose soil, which must be regularly weeded and additionally loosened. In addition, it is important to try in every possible way to avoid excessive watering and, moreover, extremely undesirable stagnation of water. It is also not recommended to fertilize the growing marigolds with fresh manure and plant them in those areas where plants affected by root rot were found in previous seasons.

Gray rot

This ailment develops on marigolds in sufficiently cool, damp and humid weather, as well as in the case of excessive thickening of the plantings. Wet spots of dark brown color begin to appear on the stems and on the leaves of beautiful flowers. All affected plants must be removed without fail, otherwise they will quickly infect their healthy counterparts.

Viral ailments

In overly thickened marigold plantings in the summer, you can see plants with yellowed shoots and deformed leaves. At the same time, brownish, beige or yellow spots are often formed on the leaves. The buds on such plants are usually underdeveloped, and the seeds are completely absent. All these signs indicate that marigolds are affected by viral ailments. Alas, this infection cannot be cured - all plants on which the above symptoms were found must be promptly eliminated from the sites and burned without delay.

What to do with frozen flowers?

Frozen marigolds can also be excellent helpers for the gardener - in no case should you throw these flowers away! You just need to bury them in a compost heap, and neither midges nor any other harmful insects will start in it!