We are getting to the time of year when many garden plant diseases and insect issues really begin show up. Most garden diseases take hold during the vacation season. June has been very dry so far. Dry weather often means lower risk for garden plant disease development. However, it is still important to vigilantly scout garden plants for disease development and look for visible insect damage.
When you do find a problem, don’t forget that N.C. Cooperative Extension in Yancey County offers a wide variety of resources to help you. If we can’t help you determined the issue, we have resources like the NC State Extension Plant Disease and Insect Diagnostic Center (PDIC) that can help. Through your county Extension Center, you also have access to Extension Specialists, Area Extension Agents, and lots of unbiased land-grant university based research. Don’t forget that we also have Extension Master Gardeners that can help!
Here are also a few things that you can do to minimize insect and disease pests in your garden:- Scout the garden for problems on a regular basis
- Utilize Extension to help you identify the cause of problems quickly when you find issues
- Implement recommended Integrated Pest Management practices in the garden to minimize plant disease and insect issues.
- Apply preventative garden fungicide applications before diseases take hold for common pests.
- Keep garden plants as healthy as is possible by weeding, watering, applying nutrients, and completing other garden maintenance tasks when needed.
