Septoria or other bad thing

[Gussie]

Went out to check on my plants tonight and found spots on the lower leaves of M. Curtain. Photos below. (Apparently I can only attach one per post so there will be an additional post shortly.)

Removed and disposed of the leaves that appeared to be affected. Am I looking at Septoria? If so, dilute bleach spray? And just that one plant, the plant plus others nearby, or all of em?

[Gussie]

Spots seemed to be on bottom leaves and working up the plant. Ugh.

[Gussie]

Out of a dire amount of caution, I used the dilute bleach spray tonight. Only sprayed the Mararet Curtain and its Earthbox neighbor. Still not sure what it is, but I figured waiting was not a good idea. Happy to hear from you smart folk on what I am dealing with.

Many thanks!

[ginger2778]

I don't know, but it's not Septoria. I don't think it's a bad case of anything. I wouldn't go all nuclear on it just yet. Suggest just to get on a regular 7-10 day preventive antifungal/antibacterial spray. I use liquid copper spray, it kills both.

[Gussie]

Thanks, Marsha! I just didn't want to get too far down the road and have to cull a plant since I only have one of each, except for the dawrf plants where I found pots for a couple spares. I had flashbacks to last year when -- after moving homes with already planted Earthboxes -- disease wiped me out. Glad to know it doesn't look too bad to you.

I do use the Actinovate/Excel-LG (or whatever it's called now) spray once a week or so. Maybe I will switch to copper on the two plants in this box and see how it goes.

Fingers crossed that my plants remain healthy.

Gussie

[ginger2778]

Gussie, one thing I do notice is that some of the lesions have concentric rings, so it is slowly spreading.

[Gussie]

Here's hoping it is slow growing and that the copper, which I plan to spray tonight, stops it ASAP.

Two more sets of leaves (fronds?) affected this morning, even post-bleach spray. Photos of the front and back of a leaf on one of those fronds below. Not seeing any evidence of leaves dying from the bleach spray at this point, and I used 8.25% Clorox at 5 Tbs. to a 1/2 gallon of water.

Gussie

[ginger2778]

Gussie, that looks bacterial. The copper will work. I would do it twice with a 4 day separation. The infected already leaves are bound to show up and then look worse for a few days after you see symptoms, but new growth should look clean.

[Gussie]

Thanks! Sprayed the copper last night, and I will respray in a few days. Hoping this will knock it out.

Gussie

[twillis2252]

Please keep us updated. Always interested to see how things turn out!

[Gussie]

As Marsha suggested that I spray 4 days apart, I sprayed with copper fungicide again just now. All the plants look good so after today, I am thinking I will go back to my regular spray regimen: Actinovate + Excel-LG + Molasses foliar spray every week. Or should I now be doing copper instead?

Thanks so much!

Gussie

[ginger2778]

Gussie, I think the molasses is food for microbes. I don't have proof, but I feel like it feeds fungi on the leaves too. I wouldn't use the molasses. I know several here who swear by it, but I just persopnally wouldn't.
I like copper or neem as my organic antifungals of choice.