Organic Gardener

Diseases and Pests

Organic Gardening methods are great for protecting and nurturing your plants without having to resort to environmentally harmful practices

Organic gardening emphasises the balance between healthy soil, healthy plants and the health of your family and the wider community. Organic gardeners work with natural systems to promote healthy gardens, with the ultimate goal of sustainability without the need for artificial chemicals or additives

Listed below are the main causes of disease and ill health in your garden.

General growth problems

Environmental factors can have profound effects on the overall health of your garden

Water
Water shortages leave plants suceptible to disease and pest attack. Prolonged drought stunts plant growth and can alter the natural cycles of flowering etc.

Frost
Frost causes water inside plant cells to freeze, bursting the cell wall and leaving patches of black brown dead tissue. Frost damage can be avoided by creating air flow through those parts of the garden most affected as well as erecting temporary hessian barricades to ward off cold air.

Mineral deficiencies
Minerals such as nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and magnesium become unavailable to plants in extremely acidic soil and can lead to damaged leaf systems. Iron deficiency leaves plant leaves yellow in colour, however seemingly healthy.

Well managed, biologically active, gardens utilizing compost and mulch tend to have only slightly acidic soils which promote healthy plant growth.

Diseases

Fungal
Common fungal diseases include potato blight, clubroot, mildews and rusts. Control of fungal diseases is almost exclusively limited to preventing the conditions that cause them. Methods include providing good ventilation, avoiding over watering and planting resistant plant types.

Bacterial
Bacteria are single celled organisms that cause soft rots, wilts, cankers galls etc on plants. Treatment is often effected by simple pruning of the damaged area.

Viruses
Viruses enter plant cells often after being transported via insects and other animals. Many viruses cause little damage to plants, normally restricted to minor leaf damage.

Pests

Pests are living organisms that cause damage to plants and soils in your garden. Most organisms in the garden are not defined as pests and most can benefit the overall health of your garden. Pests are clasified according to where and how they feed on plants.

Sap Suckers
insects such as aphids and whitefly feed by piercing the epidermis of the plant and sucking up sap. Loss of sap leads to reduced vigour and growth distortions.

Root Feeders
Insect larvae such as catepillars and grubs eat the chunky stem and root pieces of plants. Damage to these systems restricts water and nutrient uptake and leads to restricted growth.

Leef Feeders
Butterflies, Moths, adult beetles, snails and slugs are all examples of leaf feeders. Leaf damage reduces the available area for photosynthesis in leaves and also spoils the overall appearance.

Flower Feeders
Earwigs, weevils and beetles all feed on flowers in your garden. Birds such as sparrows are also flower eaters.

Fruit Feeders
Caterpillars, flies and some types of beetle grub all feed on growing fruit. Damage is often cause by opening the fruit bodies to bacterial and fungal disease.

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