garlic mold - Ask Extension
Hello,I started 3 varieties of garlic last fall. They were progressing nicely. I cut the scapes 2 weeks ago, but I've noticed that quite a few of ...
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garlic mold #567837
Asked June 06, 2019, 1:35 PM EDT
Hello,
I started 3 varieties of garlic last fall. They were progressing nicely. I cut the scapes 2 weeks ago, but I've noticed that quite a few of the garlic are dying, i.e. almost all the leaves except top 3-4 are browning. When I pull out those garlics, the bulbs are much smaller than expected and there is a lot of mold. See picture. Any advice?
Thank you!
Van
I started 3 varieties of garlic last fall. They were progressing nicely. I cut the scapes 2 weeks ago, but I've noticed that quite a few of the garlic are dying, i.e. almost all the leaves except top 3-4 are browning. When I pull out those garlics, the bulbs are much smaller than expected and there is a lot of mold. See picture. Any advice?
Thank you!
Van
Montgomery County Maryland
Expert Response
Hi- we cannot confirm a diagnosis via the photo but the symptoms observed are consistent with white rot, a devastating fungal disease that affects members of the onion/garlic family (Allium). Pull out and bag up all affected plants and put them out with your trash.
Hopefully you can plant garlic in the fall in a different part of your yard. This disease remains viable in the soil for many years even when alliums are not planted. It's critically important to only plant certified, disease-free garlic. Don't plant garlic that you buy in a food store as it can appear asymptomatic but carry diseases.
Our web page on this disease:
https://extension.umd.edu/hgic/topics/white-rot-alliums
Jon
Hopefully you can plant garlic in the fall in a different part of your yard. This disease remains viable in the soil for many years even when alliums are not planted. It's critically important to only plant certified, disease-free garlic. Don't plant garlic that you buy in a food store as it can appear asymptomatic but carry diseases.
Our web page on this disease:
https://extension.umd.edu/hgic/topics/white-rot-alliums
Jon
