Sooty Mold

Description

Leaves covered with dark dirt like black/sticky stunts whole plant


Causes

• Low Brix Alert! what does this mean?

      

  Immediate solutions

   

        Spray #1 first, if that does not work then spray #2 and so on:

  1. Peppermint soap see Using Soap Page

  2. Baking Soda/Seaweed Spray, see baking soda page

  3. Bacterial spray (Superseaweed for example) , see Bacterial page

  4. Compost Tea spray, see tea Compost Tea 48 hrs

  5. Milk spray, see milk page

  6. Rock Dust Tea spray, see rock dust tea page

  7. Garlic or vegetable oil Oil spray, see garlic page

  8. Horticultural Ultra Fine Oil, see oil page Eco-Oil,

  9. Copper/magnesium base spray, see copper page

  10. Controlling overhead watering see GW page

  11. Controlling pest vectors such as ants/aphids. pest helps spread diseases.

  12. Keep ants under control.

  13. Use Tangelfoot (lightly) to keep ants off fruit trees and roses.

      

  Long term solutions

   

  1. immediate removal of infected plant parts.

  2. cleaning of tool (use either bleach, alcohol or H2O3..use a mild solution).

  3. application of Compost/mulch see compost page

  4. controlling overhead watering see GW page

  5. controlling pest vectors such as ants/aphids. pest helps spread diseases. Keep ants under control.

  6. use certified seeds preferable certified organic.

  7. plant resistant varieties.

  8. crop rotation

  9. debris removal and destroy

  10. soaker or drip systems

  11. regular applications of compost/mulch

  12. zero use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides.

  13. Apply Rock dust to soil and apply as a foliar

   

  • Some Resources

  • Monterey Garden Spray

    Monterey Garden Insect Spray Contains Spinosad,

    
    Spinosad for home gardeners Use on vegetable and fruit crops, ornamentals, and turf to control caterpillars as well as beetles, leafminers, thrips, Colorado potato beetles, fire ants and more!
    
    Use 4 Tbs/gal water.
    
    Spinosad insecticides are nerve and stomach poison derived via fermentation from naturally occurring bacterium Saccharopolyspora spinosa. New chemistry represents an alternative to Bt for worm control and offers excellent control of targeted pests and low toxicity to non-target organisms, including most beneficial insects. Low mammalian toxicity, helps conserve beneficials.

            PyGanic

    PyGanic Pro Pyrethrin 5% MGK

     

    Apply 1/4 - 1 tsp/gal. Finally, an OMRI-listed pyrethrum-based insecticide! PyGanic contains a pyrethrum formula specifically developed for use on organic crops and ornamentals. It provides rapid knockdown and killing of more than 40 plant pests, as well as causing insects and mites to flush from hiding. Pests controlled include aphids, beetles, caterpillars, cucumber beetles, flea beetles, Harlequin bugs, thrips, etc. PyGanic is approved for use on over 200 fruits and vegetables and may be applied on the day of harvest. According to the manufacturer, it is non-persistent in the environment.
    

    
             Organocide - Quart

    Sesame & Fish Oil Organocide is an insecticide to eggs, larvae and nymphs of insects as well as the adults of soft-bodied insects. Controls a wide range of insects including, but not limited to, chinch bug, spider mites, aphids, leaf-rollers, leaf miners, whiteflies, fungus gnats, thrips and some scale. It also controls certain fungal diseases like powdery mildew and citrus greasy spot. Labeled for most vegetables, fruits, vines, herbs, ornamentals, greenhouse crops, flowers and field crops. Consisting of 5% sesame oil and 92% fish oil, the manufacturer applied for a patent for the synergy between the oils for improved insect and disease control. According to the manufacturers, Organocide has a higher degree of safety to most plants than petroleum oils, even when applied on the hottest days. Use 1-2 gal/100 gal of water or 2 oz/gal of water. This pest control is exempt from registration and reporting under the Federal & CA EPA standards and therefore requires no Pest ID#.
         
                                

       

    
    
    

  • Some Resources
    
    
    
     

  • SuperSeaweed

     

  • SuperSeaweed Micro/Grow/Bloom/Brix.™

    
    
    An invention of mine, is a result of many years of experimentation and assimilation of my mothers knowledge as well as from my own experiences as a gardener. I like to call SuperSeaweed a “micro-biological activator”. In simple terms, it is a special blend of five different types of deep ocean seaweed, chosen for its purity and for its special bacteria. Here is a list of the bacteria I add to make Superseaweed: Endomycorrhiza: Glomus intradices, G. aggretaum, G. mosseae; Ectomycorrhizal fungi: Pisolthus tinctorius, Rhizopogon villosulus, R. luteolus, R. amylopogon,R. fulvigleba, Humic acid from leonerdite. Each seaweed, being from a different part of the world, contains its own special bacteria and its own special minerals as well. Blending these different liquid seaweed's produces a complete bacterial and mineral ‘soup’. To this mixture I have added rock dust, which increases mineral content such as calcium, iron, etc. I also add activated Willard Water (TM), and Agri-Gro (TM). SuperSeaweed Bloom is a special blend of liquids that encourages your plants to Bloom more.
     

  • Contains key amounts of iron, manganese, zinc and other micronutrients. Naturally chelated and complexed using citric acid. 2% Fe, 2% Mn, 3% Zn. Use for iron, manganese, and/or zinc deficiencies. Use 1 tbs per gallon of water, depending upon crop. Use 1 tbs per gallon of water, depending upon crop. Or use about 1 qt per acre.
    
     
  • 
    A stimulant to plant growth. Use in conjunction with other organic fertilizers as a soil drench or foliar feed. Natural enzymes, hormones, vitamins, amino acids, nutrients, sugars, plant acids and surfactants encourage compact growth, nutrient uptake, increased yields, and enhanced flavors. Derived from oat bran, kelp, wheat malt, molasses and yeast. Use 1-4 tbs/gallon of water, depending upon need.
     

  • Brix Mix Liquid

  • 
    Created by Invisible Gardener and continuously improved upon with over 38 years of research and grower trials. Formulated to increase Brix (or sugar content). Brix Mix . Raising Brix levels brings quick & dramatic production benefits.  Insect and disease reduction for aphids, leafminers, flea beetles, whiteflies, spider mites, caterpillars, powdery mildew, botrytis, brown rot, anthracnose, shot hole and other fungi. High Brix also helps crops deal with climatic and other stress, and maintain its quality during post-harvest handling.
     

  • Invisible Gardeners Special Rock Dust Blend

  • 
    Mined Trace Minerals

  • 
     A natural mineral product produced by thousands of years of glacial action and other earth actions to produce rock dust. A wide variety of rocks containing a spectrum of trace minerals are collected and pulverized by the expansion/contraction action of the earth. 5 different rock dusts are mixed togther then bacteria is added. See more about rock dust below..

  

  • Azomite (44 lb) Micronized

  • 
    Trace Mineral Amendment This natural fertilizer (described in Secrets of the Soil as "rock dust") is actually an ancient deposit of aluminum silicate clay and marine minerals. In use for over 50 years as a source of available potash (0.2%) and over 50 trace minerals, including calcium (1.8%), sodium (0.1%), and magnesium (0.5%). Apply at .25-2 tons/acre, or .25-2 lb/10 sq ft. Use as an annual top dressing on citrus trees, where soil pH is 6.5 or lower, at 5 lb/tree, or 15 lb on blight-stricken trees. Azomite can also used in animal feeds at a rate of 0.5% of feed mixture, as a trace mineral supplement and a natural anti-caking agent. This is one of the rock dust I use in my special rock dust blend.
        
    
                               Happy Growing

  • andy lopez
  • The Invisible Gardener
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