Prevailing temperature patterns may dictate which fungicides you can use and when.
When beautifying and protecting your residential garden, you may be tempted to check out the broad array of fungicides available on the market. While these agents can be quite effective in reducing or eliminating damage caused to fruits and vegetables by fungus, you should carefully observe the directions and restrictions that apply to each one. By knowing the pros and cons of fungicides on fruits and vegetables, you can actually safeguard your plants rather than create new problems for them.
Pro: Basic Benefits
The most essential benefit of a fungicide is that it helps eliminate or reduce the effects of diseases that afflict fruit and vegetable plants. Some products defend not only against fungal disease but against bacterial agents as well. You will find that some fungicides can be applied to multiple types of plants, including flowers, making them versatile and cost-effective treatment options.
Con: Many Variations
With dozens of products and chemical compositions from which to select, choosing the right fungicide for your plants often is the main difficulty. Each product has specific utilities and caveats. Even individual brands that have the same active ingredient -- there are at least seven marketed brands that use captan for example -- have their own particularities and potential for misapplication. In the end, you'll have to do substantive research before settling on the proper treatment for your fruits or vegetables.
Con: Potential for Damage
A significant con of a fungicide is that it may do more harm than good to your plants. Gardeners must use caution when mixing different treatments, as certain combinations can prove volatile when added to one another. Imagine it as a form of negative drug interaction. For instance, a captan-based fungicide should not be mixed with any oil spray of lime-based product. Other fungicides are sensitive to climatic conditions or external temperature. Bordeaux mix cannot be used when wet and cool weather prevails, while liquid lime sulfur can't be applied when temperatures of 80 degrees or more are looming.
Considerations
As you might imagine, individual fungicides can each have their own pros and cons. Always examine which plants react positively or negatively to the fungicide applied. Bordeaux mixture, for example, may be great for protecting your apples but cause poisoning of your strawberries and celery. Follow instructions carefully, as some fungicides specify spray application while others demand only mixing and pouring. Also, pay close attention to when it is safe to use the fungicide in the plants' life cycle. These aspects can differ dramatically given the treatment.
