Garden Cleanup
Soil that is covered with decaying leaf litter and other garden debris is an open invitation for fungus diseases to get started. In the shaded garden, this situation spells double trouble. The cool, damp conditions are the perfect environment for the growth of many common fungus diseases. The gardener can avoid problems such as mildew, petal blight on camellias, and botrytis on aza¬leas by maintaining an even mulch layer and removing all other garden debris. If you still have problems, it might help to remove the mulch each year and replace it with fresh material.
Damp, cool locations are also the preferred home of snails and slugs. To keep these pests under control, minimize the places they hide and use high-quality snail and slug bait whenever an outbreak occurs.
If despite your best efforts you repeatedly have problems with fungus diseases, use one of the commercial fungicides available at your nursery. aware though that for the best control of some fungus diseases such as scab, the remedy should be applied before there is a problem. On the other hand, other fungus diseases such as mildew can be controlled with repetitive treatments either before or after they become evident. Consult your local nursery or extension agent for information about the appropriate fungicide and time to apply it. Always read and follow the label directions for each specific use.
