How to Identify Smolder on Narcissus

By eHow Home & Garden Editor

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Narcissus, better known by its common name daffodil, has been a gardener's favorite for decades. Knowing how to properly care for and identify problems with narcissus can mean the difference of your bulbs surviving the season or not. Smolder is one of the common ailments of narcissus so you need to identify it to properly care for your bulbs and prevent spread of this disease. Read on to learn how to identify smolder on narcissus.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Step1

Look for leaves rotting at the tips. This is the first sign you'll see if you suspect smolder on your narcissus plants.

Step2

Examine the rotting leaves for a covering of gray, velvety mold. This is sure indication that you have a smolder problem on your narcissus plants.

Step3

Watch the foliage as it emerges in the spring. If the foliage is stuck together and rotting then you have bulbs that are infected with smolder.

Step4

Pay special attention in cold, wet seasons which is when smolder affects narcissus the most. These narcissus bulbs require special care by changing to a type of soil that will drain much better.

Step5

Check bulbs carefully that you take out of storage. If you see signs of rot, you may be dealing with a case of smolder. You'll need to destroy the affected bulbs in an effort to prevent the spread of the disease.

Tips & Warnings

Keep your bulbs in well-drained soil to aid in preventing smolder and other common narcissus ailments.
You need to remove and destroy any narcissus plants affected by smolder to keep the disease from spreading. You can do this by burning the infected plants or simply discarding them in a closed garbage bag.