Leaf spot disease is often up to mischief in the garden. In addition to pure ornamental plants, they sometimes catch parsley. But with this plant in particular, it is the leaves that count. Can they still be saved as a cooking ingredient?

An infestation should be detected as early as possible

The leaf spot fungus

The pathogens adapt to their host. That is why they are given a corresponding name in the professional world. The leaf spot fungus that attacks the parsley therefore bears the sonorous name "Septoria petroselini". It is one of many leaf spot fungi that hydrangea, camellia, privet, rhododendron, arugula, cucumber and several other plant species also suffer from.

The risk of infection

The fungal pathogens are not only present in the bed during the warm growing season. It hibernates unnoticed by us on the ground, on diseased plant remains and even on seeds. For this reason, infection usually occurs via the seed used.

  • damp weather has a beneficial effect
  • Spread via water splashes
  • by rain or pouring from above
  • the fungus is also spread through gardening

Parsley Symptoms

The small leaves of parsley show yellow-green, gray or brown spots. Small black dots are also visible on the leaves and stems. These are spore deposits of the pathogen. Parsley so disfigured is not just a sad sight. It also no longer belongs in our food.

Preventive Recommendations

Leaf spot disease cannot be controlled chemically. Even the usual household remedies that we often use as pesticides in our private gardens have no effect here. Therefore, the focus should be on prevention:

  • grow less susceptible varieties
  • do not collect seeds from diseased plants
  • Soak the seeds in hot water at 50 °C for at least 25 minutes
  • Observe crop rotation
  • do not wet the leaves when watering

tips

If the weather is humid for a long time, you can spray crops with a broth made from field horsetail for several days in a row. This strengthens their resilience.

Action in the event of an outbreak

If the parsley shows the typical spots, it should be removed immediately and completely from the bed. The plant parts must be completely disposed of with the household waste so that the fungal spores are removed from the garden.

Category:

Vegetable garden