Cloudy this morning. Scattered thunderstorms developing this afternoon. High 84F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%..
Variably cloudy with scattered thunderstorms. Low 69F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%.
One of the most commonly diagnosed plant diseases in Georgia is caused by too much water. University of Georgia specialists say that more than a third of samples they receive are root rot diseases. The problem with root rot is that the symptoms are often confusing. People see plants that are wilted and yellowing, with stunned growth and they naturally think the problem is lack of water — so they water more. Unfortunately, the causes of root rot — pythium and rhizoctonia — are both very aggressive pathogens that thrive in wet soil.
If you have root rot disease, it’s primarily a water problem. Chances are either the plants have been watered too much or the soil drainage is poor or maybe both. Most soils in the Rockdale County area contain lots of clay which means the soil retains moisture and does not drain well. To find out how well your soil drains try this test before you plant. Dig a hole a foot or so deep and about a foot wide. Then fill it with water. After the water has drained, fill the hole a second time. The water should drain out in 24 hours or less. If it takes more than 24 hours, you may need to add a little organic matter. In general when planting trees and shrubs, a good soil ratio is 75% native soil to 25% organic matter (compost) thoroughly mixed together. Filling a planting hole with all bagged soils or all compost seems like a good idea but most bagged soils are really almost all shredded bark which breaks down and shrinks significantly leaving too many air pockets in the planting hole. When planted this way, the roots tend to circle within the planting hole instead of moving outward. True soil contains 45% minerals (broken down rocks), 25% air, 25% water, and 5% organic matter. Soils in the Georgia Piedmont typically only have 1% organic matter. The heat and humidity here quickly break down decaying plant and animal material so essentially less organic material is naturally returned to the soil. However, don’t be afraid of using the native soil here when planting trees and shrub. Adding just 25% of compost with the native soil thoroughly incorporated will build in texture and improve drainage.
One good watering each week is usually enough for most plants. About 1 to 1 ½ inches per week is a good rule of thumb to follow. Avoid light watering that gets the top layer of soil wet but doesn’t penetrate the 3 to 4 inches deep that plants really need. Often people overwater simply out of habit or because the top layer of the soil is dry. For plants in containers, select containers that have drainage holes so excess water can drain out. If your container does not have drainage holes, you can layer the bottom of the container with a couple of inches of small rocks that act as a filter and lets the excess water drain below the soil.
For more gardening information contact Amy Smith, UGA Extension Rockdale County, amy.smith@rockdalecountyga.gov or visit ugaextension.org/rockdale.
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Contact Amy smith, UGA extension, Rockdale County, amy.smith@rockdalecountyga.gov.
I have been editor of the Rockdale Citizen since 1996 and editor of the Newton Citizen since it began publication in 2004. I am also currently executive editor of the Clayton News Daily, Henry Daily Herald and Jackson Progress-Argus.
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