Also known as Calcium polysulfide, this liquid is a chemical combination of lime (like in cement or garden lime) and elemental sulfur - and smells like rotten eggs.Īs a fungicide, lime sulfur can ONLY be used on dormant trees due to the caustic nature of the chemical. Lime sulfur is used in three different ways in bonsai: as a broad-spectrum fungicide, as a preservative fungicide for exposed deadwood, and as a dormancy spray to kill insects. Where this is the case, use of fungicide sprays can help mitigate the problem. Iif your climate is naturally humid during the growing season, you may not be able to limit foliar pathogens with only the timing of watering. Overwatering soil can encourage root pathogens like Pythium and Fusarium, while watering foliage overhead late in the day can leave moisture on the surface for foliar pathogens like mildew on maples or phomopsis tip blight on junipers. The commonality among nearly all fungal pathogens is that constant moisture encourages more growth.ĭue to this, watering timing and habits and good air circulation can contribute to - or remedy - many fungal diseases. Typically, higher humidity and a specific spread of temperatures are required for each species of fungus some thrive in hotter conditions while others thrive in mild conditions. Generally, fungal pathogens thrive under specific environmental conditions, and are naturally suppressed in other conditions the simplest disease control therefore is to naturally limit the conditions that allow it to grow. Preventing Conditions that Encourage Fungal Problems Additionally, stress due to poor water quality can cause similar symptoms. In some cases environmental stress can mimic the symptoms of fungus, creating a challenge for diagnosing the cause correctly. Powdery mildew on Japanese maples is one of the more common foliar infections, as are black spots on trees like elms and members of the rose family like crabapple, quince, hawthorn, and others. In conifers like pines, different colors of bands on the needles may indicate the same as a spot on a broadleaf tree. If leaf symptoms are dispersed over the surface it is possible that the fungus is infecting the leaf tissue itself. Where leaf symptoms include margin burn (brown or dry tissue at the outer edges of the leaves), fungal pathogens are likely affecting either the vascular tissue (the wood and trunk) or the root system. Not all types of fungi can be effectively controlled using sprays or other treatments. In addition, many common diseases can cause foliar symptoms when they are actually attacking other parts of the plant. Typical foliar fungal infections that can be remedied by a bonsai hobbyist include powdery mildew, downy mildew, leaf spot, black spot, tip blights and rust infections. Managing fungal pathogens can help bonsai stay healthy and maintain their beautiful appearance. Under certain conditions some fungus may infect actively growing plant tissue rather than just dead tissue, attacking the tissue and causing unsightly spots, weakness, or even death in bonsai trees. Fungi also interact with plants in some cases to support growth, as is the case with mycorrhiza, which lives symbiotically with plant roots and helps the plants uptake nutrients and water. Bacteria and Fungus are part of the natural life cycle of plants, providing mechanisms by which dead host plant tissues are broken down to components that can then be re-used by other plants for new growth.
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