| Most people tend to invest a large amount of | | | | thing in the morning. It usually appears on the top |
| their gardening budget in the landscaping side of | | | | of your lawn looking very similar to white cotton |
| things, when looking to give their home a new | | | | candy. It is commonly found on most walks and |
| look. Getting wrapped up in these details, can | | | | driveways where the soil is moist. The best |
| sometimes lead to neglected plants not being | | | | method to control it is by watering as early as |
| pruned when they should. The result is a garden | | | | possible in the morning. |
| that does not look quite as good as it should. | | | | The deadly Fire Blight |
| However by following some simple steps you can | | | | The Fire Blight tends to grow during the summer |
| improve the appearance of your garden this | | | | more than any other time of year. It has been |
| summer. | | | | known to attack Apple trees, Crabapple trees, |
| Pay careful attention to Pruning | | | | and Cotoneasters. It is very easy to spot this |
| As I mentioned earlier, pruning plays a critical role | | | | fungus because the branches it affects always |
| in the maintenance of your garden. In the event | | | | turn red and usually die. By pruning the infected |
| that you do make a mistake while pruning, try | | | | branch and taking it away from the rest of the |
| not to panic because in time it is sure to grow | | | | plant is the best way to control the Fire Blight |
| back again. | | | | fungus. |
| Water your plants earlier in the day | | | | Another precaution to take is to burn the infected |
| In the summer, when the humidity is quite high, it | | | | branches once you have pruned them. The |
| can cause a problem for some gardeners. It is | | | | reason is the Fire Blight is very contagious. Also |
| always best to keep your plants dry before you | | | | be sure you sanitize the garden shears in alcohol |
| retire at night. Refrain from watering them in the | | | | to prevent the fungus spreading. |
| evening to avoid unnecessary damage to plants. | | | | The Shotgun Fungus |
| The Powdery Mildew Fungus | | | | The preferred environment of this fungus is |
| Powdery Mildew is a type of fungus that mostly | | | | usually in moist mulch. It has been known to fly |
| affects ornamental plants. It deposits a white film | | | | over 2 metres in the air and cover areas such as |
| on the leaves of the plants it infects. Recently, it | | | | houses with smooth, brown glue-like specks. The |
| has begun affecting garden plants such as the | | | | specks are often mistaken as being created by |
| Dogwood. It takes very persistent gardening to | | | | insects. Although difficult to stop this fungus, it can |
| prevent the spread of this fungus. It can be easily | | | | be controlled by loosening the mulch so air is |
| prevented by the use of fungicides found in most | | | | allowed to circulate and keep the fungus out. |
| garden centers. | | | | Although mulch can be beneficial, try keeping |
| Pythium Blight prevention | | | | them from getting too packed. |
| Perennial Rye grass which is usually found in the | | | | Dispose of growing mulch at least once during the |
| North is vulnerable to the Pythium Blight fungus - | | | | year and try raking it flat to give the appearance |
| especially when it gets wet. The reason being, this | | | | of having been recently mulched. |
| fungus grows best in high humid conditions which | | | | Try using some of the tips above and enjoy a |
| often happens to be at night in the summer. | | | | garden free of fungus this summer. |
| Pythium Blight is easily recognizable especially first | | | | |