Why does white bloom appear on dill and how to deal with it
Dill belongs to the Umbrella family and is popular among our compatriots due to its beneficial composition and pleasant aroma. The plant is unpretentious, growing it is not difficult. But dill often suffers from various diseases. One of the most common is powdery mildew. Why does dill turn white, how to deal with powdery mildew and what are the preventive measures - in our article.
The reason for the appearance of white bloom on dill is powdery mildew.
Powdery mildew is a disease that develops due to high humidity. (70-80%) and low temperatures (below 20°C). The causative agent of the disease is the fungus Erysiphe umbelliferarum, which is spread by insects (ants, aphids and other flying creatures), splashes of water during irrigation or weeds.
Powdery mildew spores overwinter in the remains of unharvested plants and foliage, and with the onset of warmth they spread to young and succulent plants.
What kind of disease
Powdery mildew appears as a white coating, first on the leaves of dill, then spreads to the stem. The stains from it are easily erased if you run your hand over them, but then they appear again. Over time, powdery mildew becomes denser and resembles flour.
Why is it dangerous?
This disease is dangerous for the following reasons:
- spreads quickly;
- contagious and capable of affecting various crops;
- slows down the process of photosynthesis, and, as a result, the plant dies.
Dill affected by white bloom loses taste and aroma.
Attention! Powdery mildew spores are allergens. People prone to allergies should avoid eating greens affected by this disease.
What to do to cure
To save the crop, it is important to notice powdery mildew in time and eliminate it. It is recommended to use biofungicides to treat dill., as they are safe for humans and the environment. But their disadvantage is less efficiency.
If the plant is severely affected by the disease, you will have to use chemicals or destroy the infected bushes (burn, bury deep underground).
Attention! Powdery mildew develops resistance to the components of regularly used fungicides, so the drugs are changed periodically.
Purchased processing products
Specialized gardening stores offer various means to combat powdery mildew.
"Fitosporin"
Microbiological fungicidal drug, which is the spores of Bacillus subtilis, which, when interacting with water, begin to divide and penetrate the cells of fungal organisms and bacteria. It not only acts as a natural antibiotic, but also produces acids and vitamins.
"Fitosporin" safe for humans, since the main active ingredient in it is a natural bacterial culture. It is available in the form of a powder and paste, which are diluted with water, and in the form of a liquid, ready for use after opening.
Means recommended for use as a preventative measure or in the initial stages of fungal diseases. In advanced cases, “Fitosporin-reanimator” is used in a can.
It can be useful:
Dill grows poorly - what to feed for a good harvest
"Pseudobacterin"
A biofungicide that takes effect immediately after treatment of plants. Environmentally safe, the processed crop can be eaten immediately after being thoroughly washed with water. The drug is available in liquid form.
"Bayleton"
A fungicide of the triazole group, which has a healing and protective effect, the effect begins two hours after treatment. The drug is moderately dangerous for humans. To prepare the solution, take 1 g of Bayleton powder per 1 liter of water. First, it is soaked with a small amount of water, then the rest of the liquid is added.
"Tiovit Jet"
A fungicide that is a granule consisting of 80% sulfur. They dissolve well in water. The solution is used at a temperature of +20-28°C. During the process of spraying onto plants, it is continuously stirred. The drug is moderately dangerous for humans.
"Topaz"
Specialized preparation against powdery mildew. The protective effect begins to appear half an hour after treatment and lasts for about four weeks. The drug has a third degree of danger to humans.
Folk remedies
Folk remedies effective in combating powdery mildew at the initial stage of the disease:
A solution of soda ash or baking soda - 25 g of the drug is mixed with 5 liters of hot water and 25 g of laundry soap, cooled and sprayed on the plants. Treatment is carried out twice with an interval of seven days.- Wood ash solution - 1 kg of ash is diluted in 10 liters of water and infused for 2-7 days, then filtered and added 20 g of crushed laundry soap. Treatment of the affected areas is carried out 2 times at intervals of a week.
- Whey solution. The serum is diluted with water at a ratio of 1:1.Spraying is carried out at least three times (every three days).
- Potassium permanganate solution - 5 g per bucket of water.
- Mustard - two tablespoons of powder are diluted in a bucket of warm water. The solution is used for watering or spraying.
- Iodine – one drop of iodine per 3 liters of water. The solution is used for irrigation.
How and when to treat
Biofungicides are easily washed off by rain, so they are used several times per season., approximately every two weeks. Their use is possible at any period of plant growth. Spraying is best done in cloudy weather or in the evening, as bacteria quickly die in the light.
It is recommended to use chemicals no more than twice per season.. After processing, dill cannot be used as food for 21 days. Spraying is carried out early in the morning or in the evening in calm, clear weather.
Treating affected areas before rain is ineffective, since some of the drugs are washed off with water.
Read also:
Features of the fight against powdery mildew in the greenhouse and in the garden
Powdery mildew develops fastest in greenhouses, where the humidity is about 80% and the temperature is +20-25°C. To avoid fungal infection, follow these rules:
ventilate the greenhouse;- use warm water for irrigation;
- disinfect the greenhouse before planting with bleach or sulfur dioxide;
- in the fall, remove all plant remains and dig the soil deeply.
If the first signs appear in the greenhouse powdery mildew, stop watering, cut and destroy infected leaves and spray the greens with a solution of soda, potassium permanganate or fungicides.
To avoid spreading powdery mildew in the beds, remove weeds and plant waste after harvesting, do not bury diseased plants in the soil.
If you observed plant damage the previous summer white coating, then before sowing, disinfect the soil with a solution of potassium permanganate, soda or special preparations - “Fitosporin”, “Topaz”.
Preventive measures
It is not difficult to prevent plant disease from powdery mildew; it is enough to take care of the plantings and avoid overwatering. A few recommendations from experienced gardeners:
- avoid watering dill too frequently and abundantly;
- correctly dose nitrogen fertilizers - their high concentration in the soil promotes the development of pathogenic fungi;
- in the fall, prepare the bed for the next season - remove plant remains, foliage, which may contain fungal spores;
timely apply potassium-phosphorus fertilizers, which form the plant’s immunity to white plaque;- use biofungicides or other preparations as a preventive measure against powdery mildew in spring and autumn;
- remove weeds in a timely manner;
- sow seeds evenly;
- choose a sunny area for sowing;
- change the place of planting dill with the onset of the new season;
- use only high-quality, disinfected dill seeds - before sowing, they can be soaked in a solution of potassium permanganate (1 g per 100 ml of boiled water).
Conclusion
If the dill is covered with a white coating, the reason for this is powdery mildew. You can get rid of it using chemicals and biofungicides. But, despite the abundance of drugs to combat powdery mildew, preventing infection is easier and safer than having to deal with it later.
Even in a small summer cottage, it is worth following the rules of tillage and sowing in order to enjoy the taste of fragrant greenery in the summer.