Plant Disease
Hydroponic gardening's popularity has grown in leaps and bounds in recent years, especially in North America.
Plant
diseases or blights in a hydroponics garden are much less frequent
than in a dirt garden because there is no dirt to grow bacteria.
Not to mention the fact that many plant diseases travel to the
plant from the surrounding soil. Plant disease cannot occur without a
host plant, a pathogen, and favorable environmental conditions.
Plants can be more susceptible to disease if weakened by environmental
conditions such as too much shade, high humidity and crowded
conditions. They are also more susceptible when weakened by nutrient
deficiency or toxicity (too many nutrients) and poor pH.
There will always be some trouble with disease, just watch for it and
take care of it immediately. Unfortunately, many disease cures involve
the use of harsh chemicals which you really do not want on your
plants. A hydroponics garden can easily collect such chemicals in the
nutrient solution with indiscriminant use and get into the plant cells
- not something you want.
What to do About Them
Try some less harsh solutions
first. Our favorite all-purpose cure is to mix water, baking soda,
lemon juice and a very little bit dish detergent. Put this in a
spray bottle and mist the affected parts of the plant. If you mix and
use this recipe, make sure you cover all open areas to your nutrient
solution or the dish detergent will get into it, causing soap
bubbles.