Helga George

What do you call a fungus that can infect hundreds of types of plants and live on organic matter in the soil for years?  A gardener’s nightmare!In this case, the nightmare is called southern blight or southern stem. An

Cabbages can fall victim to an array of diseases from all of the major classes of pathogens – fungi, water molds, bacteria, and viruses.The infections can range in severity from the unsi

With the possibility of having up to 200 slugs on every square yard of your garden in cool humid climates,your cabbage plants and other brassicas may be in peril.Such a robust population can strip your garden o

Bt is the abbreviation for bacteria that were named Bacillus thuringiensis in 1911 after the discovery that they could kill Mediterranean flour moths in the German city of Thuringia.These common soil bacteria have been used as microbial insecticides for

Just imagine: You are at home relaxing with your lovely houseplants and your wonderful kitty when suddenly, she starts yowling.Of course, you immediately ru

After discovering this wonderful genus of plants to grow, I was eager to find out what different types are available to choose from.As I always say, you can’t have too many plant

What kind of creature can spread human diseases and drink from the mouths of babes in hospitals? The pharaoh ant!These nightmarish insects (Monomorium pharaonis) were

The fungus Botryosphaeria obtusa can cause devastating losses to apples and crabapples over a wide geographical range and especially in warm humid climates.We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our li

You know how stress can cause all sorts of health problems in humans? Well, the same is true for plants.Stress can cause infection by the fungi Botryosphaeria spp. on more t

Peach scab is a hideous disease that is also known as black spot or freckles, due to its appearance on the fruit. However, the scab is usually superficial. Fruit that is peeled should be perfectly edible.The fungus that causes scab, Cladosporium carpophilum, is responsible for scab

What lures a potential mate? While it may be looks and charm in humans, for insects, it is typically a seductive chemical.You may have heard of pheromones – chemical attr

Although you may fuss over and carefully tend your Dracaena plant, it could still come down with a disease.This can happen precisely because of the care

As a gardener, you’re undoubtedly familiar with that perpetual question when you find that something has been nibbling on your greens:Are they safe to eat?In many cases, yes, they are perfect

White rust, caused by Albugo candida, afflicts turnip leaves and flowers and used to be considered a fungal disease.The organism has been reclassified and is now no longer a fu

Many people believe nature to be benign, but nothing could be further from the truth.The natural world is rife with toxins –

Turnips and rutabagas are vulnerable to a number of diseases caused by bacteria, fungi, oomycetes, and viruses.Many of these pathogens affect the leaves of the plants a

While tomatoes tend to thrive in home gardens, they can sometimes be plagued by disease.Three different types of blight may strike – early,

In addition to their dramatic good looks, amaryllis plants are generally tough and resilient.This makes them ideal presents for gardening newcomer

Despite kale’s tendency to be healthy and vigorous, it can be vulnerable to both diseases and pests under certain conditions.We link to vendors to help you find relevant

The fungus Armillaria is truly a menace to apples and a number of other fruit trees, ornamentals, crops, and shrubs.We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you

You are no doubt well aware of the damage that fungi can cause to your plants and crops, and have probably at some point experienced the difficulty of controlling infections.They also cause damage on a global scale.

There are few things more disheartening in gardening than stepping outside and finding that your precious plants have collapsed.While there can be other causes for the colla

If you see spots on your apples, you may be tempted to think “Oh no!  Fungal or hail injury.” However, there may be another cause, especially if your apple trees are York Imperial, Golden Delicious, or Delicious cultivars.It could be an easily curable physiologic

The peach twig borer (PTB) is a medium-sized gray moth. Its larvae can cause devastation on stone fruit and almond crops in Europe, north Africa, North America, and Asia.This pest originates in Europe and was first identified in th

Turnip mosaic virus (TuMV) can be a severe disease on cabbages and other types of brassicas.Many weeds are hosts to this vir

If you’ve ever seen apple trees growing in the wild, you may already know they are privy to a wide range of diseases. But what about homegrown apples?An apple enjoyed fresh off the tree is delectable, but

Black rot caused by the bacterium Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris (Xcc) is a highly destructive disease of crucifers, including turnips. In fact, the disease was first identified on turnips in 1893 and remains a severe problem today.The pathogen spreads easily between plants and can survive on infested plant ma

Cotton root rot, also known as Texas root rot and by its scientific name Phymatotricum root rot, is caused by the the soil-borne fungus Phymatotrichum omnivorum and is responsbile for serious and usually fatal root rots on more than 2,300 species of plants.We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links,

Asparagus rust is a highly complicated fungal disease with four different stages that can invade your plants without showing symptoms until it is too late. Cultivars bred to be resistant to this

Does your apple tree have weird growths on it? Apples are prone to several different kinds of galls, but crown gall is the worst of them.This disease, caused by the bacteria Rhizobium rhizogenes (old na

In a nice change of pace, citronella (or yellow) ants have no interest in human food.So that means they will never bother me, right? Unfortunately, t

Are predatory insects plaguing your garden?While there are many types of beneficial nematodes, insectic

You have probably never thought about life in the soil, but it’s a jungle down there with organisms fighting each other for survival.Instead of fighting tooth and nail, they fight by parasitizing

Hazelnuts have been considered divine for ages. We can trace this history back to their mention in a 2838 BC Chinese manuscript as a sacred nourishment bestowed by God.Currently, commercial groves of these tasty nuts are under siege from an ag

Odorous house ants (Tapinoma sessile) are native to the continental US and are distributed from Mexico to Canada.These ants eat an unusually broad variety of fo

Aster yellows is a devastating disease that can affect more than 300 plant species. And that only includes broad-leaved plants! Aster yellows also affects grain crops like wheat and barley.Without effective management, the disease can ra