JUICING QUESTION: To anyone out there who knows juicing, what are your favorite vegetables to use? Have any cool recipes or combinations? I want to broaden my jucing horizons, especially since I'm starting to love it so much.
Anyway. Today went by really fast at school. My teacher recommended me for the yearbook and/or the newspaper teams, which I might sign up for... although work is involved and I would have to get another recommendation letter. Also, today a couple girls gave a nice little talk about the agricultural classes held at a nearby school, which I was already considering doing in a year or two. Now I definitely want to do it if my schedule has room at all! More good news is that I have no homework today so I decided to write another of my Everything Plants Series thingys.
If anyone has any requests for topics or plants they want to me write about, please ask! :)
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Okay, so in this journal I'll be posting information on common plant diseases, how to spot them, what causes them, how to prevent them, etc. Sounds gross, but plays an importance when growing any plant.
Edit: Nevermind, I'll just be posting on Powdery Mildew here. I got lazy and too in-depth haha. I'll post other disease journals later on... post on spaced-out occasions. :)
Next up might be another plant profile!
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POWDERY MILDEW
Powdery mildew is a fungal disease that affects a wide range of plants. Powdery mildew diseases are caused by many different species of fungi in the order Erysiphales. It is one of the easier diseases to spot, as its symptoms are quite distinctive. Infected plants display white powdery spots on the leaves and stems. The lower leaves are the most affected, but the mildew can appear on any above-ground part of the plant. As the disease progresses, the spots get larger and denser as large numbers of asexual spores are formed, and the mildew may spread up and down the length of the plant. Powdery mildew grows well in environments with high humidity and moderate temperatures.
Quick Facts...
- Powdery mildew is one of the most widespread and easily recognized plant diseases.
- Powdery mildews are characterized by spots or patches of white to grayish, talcum-powder-like growth.
- Powdery mildews are severe in warm, dry climates.
- Many plants have been developed to be resistant or tolerant to powdery mildew.
- Succulent tissue is more susceptible to infection. Once the disease is a problem, avoid late summer applications of nitrogen fertilizer.
Powdery mildews affect virtually all kinds of plants: cereals and grasses, vegetables, ornamentals, weeds, shrubs, fruit trees, and broad-leaved shade and forest trees.
The disease is most commonly observed on the upper sides of the leaves. It also affects the bottom sides of leaves, young stems, buds, flowers and young fruit. Infected leaves may become distorted, turn yellow with small patches of green, and fall prematurely. Infected buds may fail to open.
Although powdery mildew is unattractive, it is rarely fatal. However it does stress the plant and severe or repetitive infections will weaken the plant. If enough of the leaf surface becomes covered with powdery mildew, photosynthesis is impaired. Infected leaves often fall prematurely. This can be a particular problem on edible crops, since insufficient photosynthesis can diminish the flavor of the fruit or vegetable. If buds become infected, they may not open and mature at all.
Powdery mildew fungi are host specific, meaning the different powdery mildew fungi infect different plants. The powdery mildew on your lilacs will not spread to your grapes or your roses. However all powdery mildews favor the same conditions.
Conditions That Favor the Disease
The severity of the disease depends on many factors: variety of the host plant, age and condition of the plant, and weather conditions during the growing season.
Powdery mildews are severe in warm, dry climates. This is because the fungus does not need the presence of water on the leaf surface for infection to occur. However, the relative humidity of the air does need to be high for spore germination. Therefore, the disease is common in crowded plantings where air circulation is poor and in damp, shaded areas. Incidence of infection increases as relative humidity rises to 90 percent, but it does not occur when leaf surfaces are wet (e.g., in a rain shower). Young, succulent growth usually is more susceptible than older plant tissues.
More cause-related stuff:
Powdery mildew fungi seem to be everywhere. They overwinter in plant debris begin producing spores in the spring. These spores are carried to your plants by wind, insects and splashing water. Conditions that encourage the growth and spread of powdery mildew include:
• Dampness or high humidity (Not common during rainy seasons or in extreme heat)
• Crowded plantings
• Poor air circulation
Control/Prevention
Several practices will reduce or prevent powdery mildews. Many plants, such as roses, vegetables and Kentucky bluegrass, are developed to be resistant or tolerant to powdery mildew. Inquire about resistant varieties before a purchase. If resistant varieties are unavailable, do not plant in low, shady locations.
More prevention stuff:
• Choose healthy plants and keep they growing healthy
• Try and find a powdery mildew resistant cultivar, if your area is susceptible
• Don’t plant non-resistant varieties in the shade
Once the disease becomes a problem:
- Avoid late-summer applications of nitrogen fertilizer to limit the production of succulent tissue, which is more susceptible to infection.
- Avoid overhead watering to help reduce the relative humidity. (Don't water plants from above. Water the ground around them.)
- Remove and destroy all infected plant parts (leaves, etc.). For infected vegetables and other annuals, remove as much of the plant and its debris in the fall as possible. This decreases the ability of the fungus to survive the winter. Do not compost infected plant debris. Temperatures often are not hot enough to kill the fungus.
- Selectively prune overcrowded plant material to help increase air circulation. This helps reduce relative humidity and infection / Improve air circulation by thinning and pruning
- Don’t fertilized until the problem is corrected.
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Citation:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Powdery_mildew
http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/garden/02902.html
http://gardening.about.com/od/gardenproblems/a/PowderyMildew.htm
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V. The Fundamentals of Foraging
IV. Bee Balm (Plant Profile)
III. Leaf Terminology
II. Flower Terminology
I. General Terminology