Root Rot - Garden Root Rot

Root rot is a disease that can affect a range of plants in your garden and which can spread through the soil. It can kill plants in a very short space of time and can be difficult to control. Some plants are very susceptible to this disease. Don Burke recently looked at a product which will help in the control and prevention of root rot.

What is root rot?

Root rot is the common name for phytophthora root rot (Phytophthora spp.), a fungal disease which infects fine roots and root hairs of many plants. It is spread throughout the garden where there are moist soils.

Symptoms include: wilting (although the plant is not in need of water)
yellowing leaves
the sudden dying back of some or all of the plant
the plant becoming loose in the soil
stem lesions appearing near the base of the plant (for example with citrus). Gum is released from fissures in the bark of the plant in woody species.
affected roots becoming a soggy dark brown colour and brittle instead of the normal pale colour.
plant death (especially after wet conditions).
This disease also affects pot plants but the plant may become infected well before symptoms are displayed.

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