How to Treat Fusarium Yellows in Flowers

You have confirmed a fusarium wilt fungal infection in your gladiolas and now you need to know what to do to get rid of it. There's no need to panic, follow these simple steps to rid your gladiolas of fusarium wilt so your gladiolas look healthy again in no time.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Remove infected plants. Dig up the plants infected by fusarium wilt and put them in solitary confinement.

2. Destroy the bulbs that are infected. As difficult as this may seem, you cannot keep the infected plants around or they will spread the fungal infection further. Burn or bury the infected plants in a spot that you won't use as a planting bed to protect the other plants in your garden.

3. Select a resistant variety of flower next year. Although this is not always possible, it's always a good idea, especially if you have an area with a known fusarium wilt problem.

4. Fertilize sparingly to control the fungus, especially with nitrogen and manure fertilizers which can dramatically increase fungal infection in gladiolas and other susceptible varieties of flowers.

5. Examine each plant before you put it in the ground. Look for dark, waterlogged spots which indicate a possible fusarium wilt infection.

Tips & Warnings

• Rotate your garden and plant gladiolas in a fresh location every year to limit their susceptibility to fusarium wilt. This will also keep your garden interesting.
• Do not plant flowers in your garden infected with the fusarium fungus or you will spread the fungus to the other healthy plants.