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My black-eyed Susan, it’s a stubborn thing. The leaves, they’re turning black, and I can’t figure out why. You know, sometimes plants just start acting funny, but when the leaves go black, that’s something serious. First, I thought maybe it’s not getting enough water, or maybe too much? Turns out, that can mess ‘em up too. If you water these fellas from the top, or they sit in wet soil for too long, they don’t like it. Overhead watering or poor drainage – that’s when the leaves start getting black spots. And let me tell you, those black spots, they’re often caused by diseases like Septoria leaf spot or Angular leaf spot. These here are fungal issues, nasty little buggers that spread through water splashing on the leaves. So, first thing I gotta do is stop watering from above. Gotta let the soil dry out a bit and make sure there’s good air between the plants so they can breathe.
Now, if you see them spots, it starts as small dark ones on the lower leaves. Soon enough, they can spread up the plant if you’re not careful. They’re not just sitting pretty neither, they turn into full black blotches, and sometimes, the whole leaf might go black. But, don’t go thinking the plant’s dead. These spots are more of a cosmetic issue. The plant’s gonna live, but it might not look too nice.
What can you do? Well, besides fixing the watering issue, there’s a few things to help. You can thin out the plants, make sure they ain’t crowded, so the air gets through. That helps them dry up faster after it rains. And don’t forget, if those leaves look too bad, yank ‘em off. Throw ‘em in the trash, not in the compost, mind you, ‘cause that’ll just spread the disease around again next year.
Some folks use fungicides, ones with copper in ‘em, to try and stop the disease from getting worse. But, you know, that’s just extra work. Most of the time, these plants don’t need much babying. If they’re in the right spot with some good sunshine and not too much water, they’ll bounce back just fine. And remember, always give them room to grow, so next time they won’t get all stuffy and moldy.
Another thing to watch out for is bugs, like aphids. Them little critters leave behind a sticky goo, called honeydew, that can attract a nasty black fungus called sooty mold. So, if you’re seeing black stuff on the undersides of the leaves, check for bugs. A good rinse or some insecticidal soap can take care of that problem quick.
So, long story short: check your watering, make sure they ain’t sitting in water too long, and give ‘em space. Pull off the bad leaves and toss ‘em. And maybe use a bit of fungicide if it’s looking really bad. But even if the leaves are a bit ugly, your black-eyed Susan is tough and should be just fine!
Tags:[Black spots on leaves, Septoria leaf spot, Angular leaf spot, overwatering, fungal disease, aphids, sooty mold, plant care]