The black fungus is a fairly common pest in plants, although not so much how it can be a cochineal, aphid or whitefly. The black fungus or fumagina is presented as a characteristic black powder that reminds us slightly of soot. We will see it on the surface of the leaves, on the stems, as well as in different areas of the plant. It is not that it is a dangerous fungus, much less; the only problem he has is that it is unsightly; and it is that at first glance it will seem that the plant has a dirty appearance.
This mushroom takes advantage of the opportunity. Some parasitic insects give off excreted molasses that the bold will use to spread and develop. It is not common for a single plant, but it can be produced in anyone, as long as the humidity conditions are conducive to it.
But we don’t have to fear: the plant is not going to die , nor is it going to have to face important symptoms. Of course, we must pay special attention; In the event that the fungus completely covers the leaf surface (somewhat complicated), then we can fear for the health of the plant. The main problem, as we have already said, answers an aesthetic question. The leaves that have a coverage with black blight will have a shaved appearance.
Prevention techniques against black fungus
The black fungus will appear due to the molasses that some insects excrete, such as mealybugs, aphids or whiteflies. That is why, as a prevention method, insects must be prevented from attacking plants.
We assure you that you can have a really bad time to face these plants … but if that were not enough, once you have finished doing it, you can take the unpleasant surprise that now it is your turn to face the black fungus. The sooner you eliminate it, the better.
A home remedy against black fungus is the use of potash soap . It is a remedy that is not toxic, so it does not affect the plant or the environment, being the most effective solution for the treatment of any of the pests that we have already mentioned. In this blog we have seen many remedies that can be prepared with this product.
In the case of the treatment for the black fungus , we can dissolve the potash in 2% water. If after 3 applications, the pests were still present, then we will have no choice but to try other more sophisticated insecticides.
It should be clear to us that the most successful prevention method against black fungus is to act against the pests that make it possible.
How to end the black fungus or fumagina?
That characteristic black powder, which seems not to be a problem, will be if it ends up covering many leaves of the plant, since it will be unable to do photosynthesis . This would cause the plant to lose vigor; although he would not kill her directly, if the one that would predispose to be weakened and present important diseases for the future, which could end his life.
Therefore, it is imperative to analyze how we will end the fungus. Of course, remember that if there was previously a plague, the first thing you should do is get rid of it. Otherwise, no matter how much we end up with the fungus, it is possible that it will still be molasses or continue to be excreted, so the problem will continue to reproduce.
Following these simple steps we can end this problem:
- Cleaning:The first thing we have to do is try to finish with the maximum possible molasses. For this we resort to the simplest solution: Water . Wash the areas affected by the black fungus with pressurized water. What we are trying to do with this process is to drag the maximum amount of waste possible.
- Potassium soap :We have already seen that potassium soap (or potash) can be a good insecticide to treat the vast majority of pests. But the truth is that its benefits do not end here. And it is also a perfect ally that will be used to clean the dirt of the plant. Apply this soap on the parts that are affected by the fungus, even to the underside of the leaves.
- Wetrag ?: As long as you are dealing with some sizeable leaves, you can use a somewhat damp cloth to wipe out the remains of the fungus present in the leaves. If we have detected the problem in time, the black fungus will not have had time to deepen, so it will come out easily. Obviously, if the leaves are small and / or delicate, with a damp cloth we will only spoil them.
- Sanitation pruning:Unfortunately we cannot save all the leaves; some will have broken down the crust of the fungus. We may also have to handle deformed leaves or buds. Therefore, we will have to get to work to end the parts that should not be there. This will require sanitation pruning. We will remove the affected leaves or buds to ensure that the plant can boast its characteristic natural beauty.
If you don’t have potash soap, or, for whatever reason, you don’t want to use it on plants, you can use another type of soap without any problem. Of course, you should make sure you have a good rinse using just water. In addition, some soaps or detergents may be too aggressive for the plant, getting to dry the surface of the leaves.
If we are talking about a very serious infestation, then we will have to go to some advanced solutions. We can get a fungicide that has a copper or sulfur base to counteract the problem. These two components are suitable to combat the black fungus or fumagina , but be careful with the proportion, since a too high could kill the plant, the remedy being worse than the disease .
