Thursday, September 25, 2014

To Control This Fungus, Get Out the Insecticide

Sooty mold makes an unattractive addition to any garden.  It appears as a black, often velvety fungal growth on leaves and stems of many different types of landscape plants. So, grab the fungicide? Think again on this one.

 Sooty mold indicates the presence of sucking insects such as soft scale, mealybugs, aphids, and white flies.  The insects suck the plant juices, then expel a stick substance called honeydew.  The sooty mold then grows on the honeydew.  No insects means no honeydew; no honeydew means no sooty mold.  So, the first thing to do is determine what insect you have on your plant.  Then get your infestation under control.  After that, the sooty mold will eventually wear off.  If you don't want to wait for that to happen, you can spray some of it off with a hose, or use some soapy water to wipe it away.  This time of year you could simply wait for the leaves to naturally fall off - if the plant is deciduous.  Then treat the stems and branches with a dormant oil to get rid of any scale that might be on your plant. If you need help identifying your insects and knowing what to spray, just call the Extension office and I will be happy to help! The number is 901-465-5233.

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