When the rains start, we begin to take extra care of ourselves and our families. Why? Because it is common knowledge that there are many diseases in the air which could harm our loved ones and us. So, we take the simple but effective steps that are necessary to get through this season unscathed.
Did you know that you should be taking the same care with your garden? It is just as vulnerable as any loved one during the monsoon. Certain plant diseases are more common during this time, ones that the plants are more susceptible to.
And so, though rains are great to help your plant grow and develop, too much rain will begin to harm them. So, it’s advisable to start taking some precautionary steps before the monsoon kicks in to avoid commonly seen plant problems.
Here's everything you need to know because once you know what you’re fighting, you can fight it even more effectively!
• Common Monsoon Plant Diseases You Should Watch Out For
1. The Disappearing Pollinators
Taking care of plants during the rainy season can be tricky. This season is when active pollinators like bees and birds start to disappear because they take shelter from the weather. As such, some plants experience a slow blooming season. Just keep giving them the nutrients and fertilizer they need to develop and eventually their time will come.
2. Powdery Mildew
This is probably one of the most common plant diseases during the rainy season. The plants all seem to develop a powdery residue on the surface in the beginning and eventually, the leaves begin to wither and fall off prematurely. Sometimes, this disease can even develop in the absence of moisture.
If there is no sunlight, then the best way to fight this disease is by applying Neem Oil along with synthetic fungicides to the plant's’ surface.
3. Anthracnose
A big part of plant care in rainy season is identifying what might be wrong with them because when you know what the problem is, you can tackle it better. As mentioned before, fungal infections are the biggest plant disease during rainy season. Anthracnose is a type of fungi that spread during the monsoon and mainly affect the evergreen and deciduous plants. It starts by first developing the leaves with typically dark-hued lesions on the broad sides of the leaves. Then, it starts to spread to the rest of the plant, causing it to wilt and wither. It will also cause premature leaf and fruit drop which could leave your plant barren.
Also Read: Why Healthy Flowers Drop From Plants and How to Stop it?
To combat this disease, the best thing would be to remove the infected limbs from the plants before the actual monsoon season begins. Also, you could use fungicidal sprays which have proven to be effective almost every time.
4. Fire Blight
This is another plant illness often witnessed during the rainy season. A version of blight that typically affects trees that develop relatively large fruits like pear and apple. The symptoms are almost the same as any other blight disease, characterized by premature fruit drop.
Keep your fungicide handy for this disease as well!
These are the most common plant diseases that you will probably come across during a monsoon in a temperate climate like ours. Taking small precautions will help keep these diseases at bay, and help your plants to continue to develop and reap the possible benefits of the monsoon without any of the negatives.
