| A. With our wet, cool weather,
gardeners are seeing a lot of fungal problems in lawns, perennials,
and shrubs. For brown patch, the best thing to do now is prevent
it. Does the area capture water? Is it compacted?
Aerate the area—even with the tines of a spading fork—and
layer with about ¼” of compost. Don’t over water
this summer, and don’t douse it with fertilizer. Prune trees
to provide more sun.
You can apply corn meal or spray with a baking soda or potassium
carbonate solution: 4 tsp. to a gallon of water, and a few drops
of liquid soap. I add a little liquid seaweed to the mix to build
up the plant’s health (lawn or perennial).
You can also try Actinovate, a commercial product containing beneficial
microorganisms that helps plants fend off disease. Still, prevention
by creating a healthier situation will save you time and worry in
the long run.
Producer note on lawns: A few years ago, I had
some work done on my house. Between the construction materials and
weeks of rain, the strip of grass adjoining my patio—the pets’
traffic area—was compacted mud. I figured it was hopeless.
By then, I was out of money, so I just took a spading fork and poked
a lot of holes and spread some of my homemade compost.
Then, I sprinkled dried molasses (available from nurseries who
carry Rabbit Hill organic products), and sprayed with liquid seaweed.
A few months later, the grass came back, healthier than it had ever
been in this well-traveled area. Now that I have a new dog that
plays ball along this strip, I may repeat this process!
Of course, it helped that I built a stone patio—extended
from the original broken cement rectangle—to cover the low-lying
area, eliminating a lot of grass. That’s why I was out of
money! So, if you have an area that’s always a problem, like
mine was, reduce its size or create a new garden path or bed, my
usual resort to go along and get along with little fungal maintenance.
To protect your roses and other perennials from fungal diseases
and insects like scale, spray now with neem oil. Dicke Patterson
from It’s a Jungle recommends Dyna-Gro, which is pure neem.
|
Texas
Mountain Laurel 
