As winter progresses fungi appear in our gardens, some detrimental to garden plants and some negatively effecting human health A garden maintenance strategy for winter that considers fungal problems will keep your garden healthy as well as yourself!
Fungi spread through spores, in water or air. These fungal spores sometimes saturate the air more than pollen from plants and are a major allergen for humans. The spores establish themselves best in moist conditions when temperatures are high.
Molds are the main fungi culprits that cause human health issues. Many molds cause allergic reactions and asthma in their human inhaler yet it is usually only when molds release massive quantities of spores that human beings react negatively. Although molds release billions of spores everyday and night, only a couple of dozen molds actually cause allergens. Molds can cause allergic rhinitis which is the inflammation of the nasal membranes. Your symptoms might include: nasal itching, nasal congestion or sneezing.
The main molds that cause allergens are dispersed by dry, windy weather. In many areas molds reach their peak of distribution in summer and are less of a problem in winter. The exceptions to this exist in climate zones where a temperate climate or warm one persists throughout the year. Where low temperatures arise in winter, molds usually become dormant until warm weather brings them life again.
Molds multiply in shady areas, on dead organic material, in compost piles, within soil, and anywhere they can find oxygen and moisture. Lawns and other grasses in gardens can be havens for molds. If we keep our garden maintained correctly, small mold population cannot adversely affect us.
To prevent molds from overtaking your garden you can;
1) Remove dead leaves from plants and ground
2) Maintain good air circulation in garden to prevent excessive moisture problems
3) Space plants far enough apart
4) Water plants in morning so garden dries out by evening
5) Mow lawn routinely and do not over water
6) Remove dead plants from freeze as these becomes mold hosts in spring
As we keep up the fight to repress mold populations we cannot forget Penicillin notatum, a mold that gave us the antibiotic penicillin. The one and same antibiotic that has saved millions of human lives!
