It can be so disheartening when you spend your time and money dreaming of a bountiful harvest only to have the plants succumb prematurely to disease.
Key to disease abbreviations:
BCMV = Bean Common Mosaic Virus
CMV = Cucumber Mosaic Virus
DM = Downy Mildew
F = Fusarium
NCLB = Northern Corn Leaf Blight
PM = Powdery Mildew
PVY = Potato Virus
TMV = Tomato Mosaic Virus
TSWV = Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus
V = Verticillium
WMV = Watermelon Mosaic Virus
ZYMV = Zucchini Yellow Mosaic Virus
Here are 7 tips to make sure your garden is filled with healthy, happy plants!
1) Plant newer varieties that have been bred for disease resistance (see AAS Winners below that tout good disease resistance.)
2) Use good, healthy soil to put less stress on the plants, and use a smart crop rotation plan.
3) If you do spot disease on a plant, cut off the affected leaf or limb.
4) Properly dispose of diseased plants in the trash, not the compost.
5) Cleanliness counts! Wash your hands and clean your tools after working in one garden area so no diseases are transferred.
6) Spread plants out so they have room for circulation, which helps prevent disease. This includes staking plants instead of letting them lie on the ground.
7) Water early in the day so the plant’s leaves have time to dry before nighttime when diseases are more prone to spread.
Disease resistant/tolerant AAS Winner varieties include:
Bean, Pole Seychelles
BCMV tolerant
Bean Mascotte
High resistance BCMV, anthracnosis, and Pseudomonas (halo blight)
Corn, Sweet American Dream
Moderate Tolerance to NCLB
Cucumber Parisian Gherkin F1
Scab, CMV resistance, PM tolerance
Cucumber Pick a Bushel F1
CMV, Scab
Cucumber Salamore Bush F1
CMV, Scab, anthracnose, PM tolerance
Kohlrabi Konan
Tolerance to leaf spots, thrips, cabbage worms
Lettuce Sandy
PM, Tip Burn, DM resistant, Heat tolerant
Onion, bunching Warrior
Pink Root Disease
Pepper Emerald Fire F1
Xanthomonas Campestris Race 1-3 (X3R), PVY PO
Pepper Hot Sunset F1
Xanthomonas Campetsris Race 1-3 (X3R), TSWV
Pepper Sweet Sunset F1
Xanthomonas campestris races 1-3 (X3R0)
Pepper Flaming Jade F1
Xanthomonas races 0-3, TMV, Nematode (M. incognita)
Pumpkin Cinderella’s Carriage F1
PM Tolerance
Pumpkin Pepitas F1
PM tolerance, Southern root rot resistance
Pumpkin Super Moon F1
PM tolerance, Southern root rot resistance
Radish Rivoli
Resistant with moderate mildew tolerance
Squash Bossa Nova F1
WMV and ZYMV resistance
Squash Sugaretti F1
PM Tolerance, crack resistant
Tomato Chef’s Choice Yellow F1
TMV, Anthracnose, Scab, F, V, Crack
Tomato Chef’s Choice Green F1
TMV, Anthracnose, Scab, F, V, Crack
Tomato Chef’s Choice Pink F1
TMV, Anthracnose, Scab, F, V, Crack
Tomato Chef’s Choice Orange F1
TMV, Anthracnose, Crack
Tomato Fantastico F1
Tolerant to Late Blight
Tomato Jasper F1
Early Blight, Late Blight, F (1,2)
Tomato Mountain Merit F1
V, TSWV, Late Blight, Moderate resistance to Early Blight and nematodes
Tomato Patio Choice Yellow F1
TMV, F, V
Tomato, cocktail Red Racer F1
V, F (1,2), Nematode, TMV, Gray Leaf Spot
Tomato Valentine F1
Intermediate resistance to Early Blight
Watermelon Mini Love F1
Intermediate resistance to Anthracnose
“This post is provided as an education/inspirational service of All-America Selections. Please credit and link to All-America Selections when using all or parts of this article.”
