Basil Blight

Last year it was tomatoes, this year it's basil! If you've been following the news, you've probably heard about a fungus (disease) called Downy Mildew attacking basil plants.

Should you be concerned? What can you do? What does it look like? Here are some helpful tips to keep your basil safe:

· Make sure the diagnosis is accurate - even experienced growers can confuse this disease with nutrient deficiency. Symptoms: the top of the leaves will appear yellow; the undersides of the leaves will have purplish grays spores.

· Keep the foliage dry; water the soil - not the leaves! The disease spreads by a water film on the leaves. Splashing with a sprinkler or garden hose can also spread the disease spores.

· Improve air circulation around plants so wet leaves can dry.

· Affected plants should be thrown away and not left in the garden. The disease can overwinter on affected plants so sanitation is critical!

· Serenade, an organic fungicide labeled for Downy Mildew, can be used. Read and follow label directions to a tee.

For more details about downy mildew on basil, visit the Department of Plant Pathology at Cornell University: http://vegetablemdonline.ppath.cornell.edu/NewsArticles/BasilDowny.html