Almost all garden plant are susceptible to some type of disease , and bread is no elision .
Some can be mildly inconvenient and easy to prevent , while others can destroy crop and taint soil , top to chronic crop loss if you do n’t have the land available to splay .
If you ’re develop your own salad greens for sound , homegrown salad , it ’s a huge disappointment when you discover your plants are evidence symptoms of disease .
Photo by Gerald Holmes, Strawberry Center, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Bugwood.org, viaCC BY-SA.
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In ourguide to growing lettuce , we shroud how to work crispy head and tender K in your garden .
In this clause , we ’ll take a look at what diseases you might see in your lettuce .
Here ’s what we ’ll cover :
Five Common Lettuce Diseases
1. Bacterial Leaf Spot
The main symptom of bacterial foliage spot is black lesions on the outer leaves , often surrounded by yellow stain known as “ halos . ” These typically appear on mature heads rather than on younger plants .
The basal causes of this disease are types of bacteria from theXanthomonasandPseudomonasgenera .
If you see sign of leaf post , note that the disease is commonly spread by splashback from watering , and that this can be prevented in part by usingdrip irrigationor tearing at the earth level rather than using sprayers or sprinklers .
You ’ll also desire to avoid overwatering , but be aware that rainfall may still distribute the bacterium .
Another elbow room that the bacteria can be introduced into the garden is by planting infected seed .
These types of bacteria have a very long shelf life of up to ten years , so if you ’ve had an outbreak , you should forfeit save seeded player from infected industrial plant or others grown nearby .
You may be able to kill pathogen that are present on the seed surfaces , even on seed that you ’ve purchased , by soaking seeds in a bleach solution to sterilize them .
grade about a tablespoonful of seed in a container , such as a glass jar , and bestow one cup of spicy but not seethe body of water , and one tablespoon of chlorine whitener .
Allow the seed to soak for about 15 minutes , and then gargle with cool water until the smell of bleach is go .
Note that this intervention will only shoot down pathogens that are present on the outside control surface of the seeds , and bacteria could potentially live on under the cum coats . After the seeded player have been exhaustively gargle , spread them out and allow them to dry overnight .
Despite your undecomposed effort , infection can still hap , and the bacteria can colonize very quick in warm , humid conditions . increase airflow and allow the garden bed to dry out a flake can aid to stop the banquet .
Prior to the attack of disease symptoms , you could spray a commercial copper fungicide on young industrial plant .
This can help to bolt down bacterium that have outlive seed sterilization , or if you ’ve planted from seedlings or store - bought scratch that were infected at the time of purchase .
Bonide Copper Fungicide
you could find Bonide Copper Fungicideavailable from Arbico Organicsin 16- or 32 - oz. ready - to - atomizer bottleful .
fuzz fungicide should be used slenderly , as overexploitation can boil down its efficacy .
Any moved leave-taking should be murder on sight and disposed of in the chicken feed , or far off from other plant or garden soil .
Infected planting bed should not be plant back to back as the bacterium can live in the land , and in infected organic debris , for as long as a year .
Rotate crops between beds or leave septic grunge unplanted if potential , and be sure to take weeds in the area as well , as the bacteria can be harbored in the roots , even in plants that are not typically hosts .
It ’s also a good idea to observe any other plants in the garden , as leaf spot can affect many other species , include ornamental .
2. Bottom Rot
keep lettuce leaves away from contact with the soil beneath them will help in preventing some types of infestation and disease . Pests and soilborne pathogens have easier access to your crops when plant dwell against the terra firma .
timeserving fungus from theRhizoctoniagenus are extremely vulgar in garden dirt , and unfortunately , these thrive in much the same conditions as lettuce does .
It ’s peculiarly belligerent when grunge temperatures are systematically between about 75 to 80 ° F .
As heads mature , forbidden housecoat leaves can come into contact with soil where the fungus is present , and it ’s very promiscuous for it to begin to colonize on plants .
This fungus can also survive between crop , so if you ’ve had an outbreak , it ’s beneficial to go around your planting beds .
Bear in judgment , though , that some strains can infect other types of crop – such aspotatoes , onions , and even weed – so it ’s also authoritative to keep garden bed well weed between planting .
If your plants have been infected , you ’ll bulge out to notice a chocolate-brown or rust - corresponding colouration , often developing into scabby spots , on the midvein .
Eventually , worthless section will develop that may catch up with most of the underside of the head or on the stems .
If leave to persist , leave will wilt and yellow , the rust coloration will exchange to inglorious , and the slimed grain will dry to a pulverisation as the plant fail .
Another telltale polarity of bottom guff is a musky , moldy smell that you ’ll be able to observe as the fungal hurt becomes evident .
dispatch moved leaves may help to stop the spread through the rest of the head , but reinfection can still occur .
As with many types of fungal or bacterial disease that bear on the garden , there is no known cure for bottom buncombe , and prevention is primal .
mound soil at the metre of planting can assist in keeping the leaf of head lettuce in peculiar from coming into touch with the ground .
A simple , mound row of four to six inch is enough to kick upstairs heads , and this also make it easier to prevent leave of absence from ride in water that has collect on the solid ground , where the fungus can also be present .
It ’s sound advice to rotate crops each season , regardless of whether you ’ve had a disease irruption . When a fungal infection is present , it can aid to till planting beds deeply prior to planting , and after harvest .
Allow tilled stain to remain expose to air and sunlight , as drying it out can kill some of the kingdom Fungi present in the soil .
Next , you could deal the dirt with fungicide , spraying according to package direction , or you may pick out to solarize the stain by laying clean plastic sheeting over the tilled domain .
The tarp should remain in place for two to six week , allowing the heat of the Sunday to build up throughout the day . temperature will increase under the tarpaulin to a level that the fungus can not live .
instead , you could plow the soil in the planting orbit with a product containingTrichoderma harzianum , a good fungus that attaches itself to the plant ’ roots to prevent disease pathogens from taking hold .
RootShield Biological Fungicide
It ’s available as RootShield Home and Garden , from Arbico Organics . Note that this product will not care for an existing infection , but will keep the pathogen from take hold .
scan more about subdued rot of scratch here .
3. Damping Off
You may notice your new seedlings suddenly fall slack against the land , and note that the stems are brown and droop , unable to support the plant . In some cases , seedling may fail to come out altogether .
As mentioned antecedently , seedling in this experimental condition could be accompanied by fungus gnats , which may be your first clue even before plants start to die off .
If you see gnat on plant folio , the ground surface , or blow in the air above the sprout , it may be too late .
Damping off is induce by fungi that thrives in cool , wet environments such as garden dirt . While it most commonly affects seedlings , it has also been known to damage mature plant life , sometimes top to root or treetop rot .
Most of the clip , pathogens are present in store buy garden grime at the time of purchase . In humid environments , or if grunge is go along very wet , the fungi can develop .
This type of fungi can taint most types of seedling , and not just lettuce , although lettuce seedlings are clean touchy and can be killed very quickly when infect . More than one kind of kingdom Fungi can cause this term , specificallyFusariumandRhizoctoniaspecies .
Symptoms of damping offcan include the previously mentioned failure of seedlings to emerge ; thread - like wilting of stems ; yellow or dark-brown cotyledons ; comportment of fungus gnat ; or white , clay sculpture - like formations on the surface of grime , sometimes skirt the base of the seedling .
Most symptom will be seen between planting and the growth of the first dependable leaves .
provision before can be an excellent preventative with esteem to damp off , as any tool or pots that have been exposed can potentially spread out the fungus to novel crops , so it ’s authoritative to disinfect implement or containers that have been exposed before reusing them .
fray alcohol or bleach can be used to sterilize tools ; however , be aware that blanching agent is corrosive to alloy implements .
Always use new potting grease for planting and use oestrus mats to keep soil lovesome , as cool , fuddled soil is a breeding ground for fungus kingdom . Temperatures above about 70 ° atomic number 9 are ideal for control . Use room - temperature water when watering plants as well .
Considerusing a grow lampto increase useable light , which can not only assist industrial plant in becoming established , but can warm up and dry out territory at the surface level , deter gnat and fungi from taking up residence . Good airflow also help .
Do n’t summate fertilizer to your potting mix , as this just encourages fungi to arise , and wo n’t aid in plant growth until plant have educate their first true leaves .
Sprinkle ground cinnamon on the surface of the dirt as this not only deters gnats , but it also acts as a natural fungicide .
Do n’t transplant too soon if there are no house of disease . Wait to transplant until your clams seedlings have developed a large enough root organisation to produce their own fungicidal compounds .
This typically takes a few weeks after the seedlings have emerged , and the larger the ancestor system , the better .
If you notice symptoms develop , you’re able to irrigate your plants with a commixture of three parts water to one part hydrogen peroxide , which can help oneself to aerate the soil and kill fungus kingdom .
If you ’ve catch augury of development of the disease too soon enough , you could transfer seedling out of infected soil and into new , uninfected stack , being indisputable to follow the above tone for preventive care .
see more about damping off in our guide .
4. Downy Mildew
In cooler environment , or areas with high daytime humidity and downhearted overnight temperatures , you may notice downy mildew mature on your lettuce leaves .
Lettuce that is exposed to long periods of nerveless , fuddled temperature is extremely susceptible to this fungus - corresponding infection .
Symptoms of this disease admit yellow or browned spot on leave ; wilting ; and the development of downlike stamp , typically on the bottom of leave of absence .
It ’s important to take note that sericeous mold can visually appear very alike topowdery mold .
However , powdery mold is stimulate by fungi , whereas sericeous mould is because of body of water molds ( oomycetes ) in thePeronospora , Plasmopara , andBremiagenera . Treating with a fungicide will not correct a pubescent mildew problem .
Once symptom of this disease are notice , it ’s in effect to remove affected leaf and put down them . If a bombastic share of the head is affected , it ’s proficient to dispose of it quickly to prevent the bed cover from works to institute , or into the garden soil .
The good treatment is prevention . be after your garden place to permit adequate distance between plant , as this can serve to prevent more than one type of disease .
works that do n’t have enough room can transfer disease and plague very easy . Check your source packetfor spacing information .
stave off watering to a great extent during periods of nerveless temperature , and do n’t allow water to sit around on folio surfaces . Be sure that loose , low-toned - hang leaves are not laying against the soil underneath , or pressed tightly against other plant .
If possible , use drip irrigation that allow water supply to seep directly into the ground rather than wetting the farewell , or water at ground stratum .
Increase atmosphere circulation if possible by using a sports fan or blower , as this will keep plant surfaces drier and avail them to dry more quickly .
Any time disease has affected your garden , it ’s best to rotate susceptible crops to avoid plant in areas where disease pathogens may still be present .
5. Lettuce Mosaic Virus
Mosaic virus is unfortunately very common in the home garden . It can be distribute through infected seed , or change from works to engraft by insatiable aphid as they puncture works leaf to extract fluid .
In lettuce , symptoms of infection include stunting ; greensickness or bleach - similar staining ; dull , misshapen leaves ; vesiculation ; and ragged leafage margins . In short , lettuce mosaic computer virus is relatively obvious and easy to spot once you know what to look for .
The terminus “ mosaic ” issue forth from the yellow - green mottled colouring of septic leaf . remark , however , that symptom can look unlike depending upon your seasonal mood , so you may not see all of the symptom described here .
In humid climates , discolouration is more common , whereas in cooler , drier climates , you may have less of an return with the virus altogether .
After detecting initial sign of infection , first and foremost , carefully comb through your plants for the presence of aphids . You cancontrol them as key out in this pathfinder , and you ’ll want to do so posthaste .
Bear in mind that both aphid and mosaic virus can unfold across specie , so if your lettuce is bear witness symptom of either , you ’ll surely desire to check in on neighboring crops . Spinach , peas , and allvarieties of lettuceare susceptible .
ThePotyvirusthat causes mosaic virus is typically spread through the habit of infected seed , so once the aphids are dealt with , if you started your sugar from seed , you may want to toss away any that remains .
While your lettuce will still be edible even after being taint , you may not get the luck to consume it as the computer virus can kill crops if it worsen .
Unfortunately , there is no cure for mosaic virus . The only veridical treatment is bar .
Be sure to weed planting bed well to avoid bear infected weeds spread out through the garden . Never harvest or plant seeds produce by infected plants , and keep a careful lookout for aphid , specially if any of the plant life in your garden are showing symptom of the computer virus .
Don’t Let Lettuce Diseases Get You Down
Lettuce is in general sluttish to grow and if you follow good horticulture practices and the tips in this guide , you should be harvesting your own homegrown greens without incident .
And for morelettuce - farm know - how , have a read of these guides next :
© Ask the Experts , LLC . ALL right field RESERVED.See our TOSfor more detail . ware photos via Arbico Organics . Uncredited photograph : Shutterstock . With additional writing and redaction by Clare Groom and Allison Sidhu .
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Kelly Spicer
