For those of us who enjoy growing onion plant , scallion , and related to alliums in our home garden , there ’s nothing more frustrating than having disease ruin these easy - growing crops before they mature . Two of the most mutual problems areonion rustandonion white rot .
Onion Rust
The first gets its name from the orangish pustules that form on the leaves of the affected plants . finally , those leaves may yellow and snuff it , killing the plant . Fortunately , onion rust is easygoing to annul . If you remove infected crop debris and verify both nitrogen and potassium levels in the soil are titular , the disease is unlikely to recur . Crop rotation every three or four years is also a skilful idea .
Onion White Rot
onion plant bloodless putrefaction is n’t near as comfortable to deal with as Allium cepa rust . This ill , which is characterized by a whitened cottony growth along the cornerstone and side of the onions , is get by a persistent fungus that can survive without a innkeeper for as long as fifteen years .
If onion ashen rot rap , your best bet is not to grow alliums in that particular bit of ground for 8 - 10 years . Since that ’s a little extreme , you’re able to essay raise onion from seeds rather than set ( transplants ) instead . That direction , radical developing is minimum during the fungus ’s most active period , ahead of time in the season . However , onions grow this way can take up to two seasons to maturate , so this , too , is a long - full term pick .
you may also try planting your onions in wide - spaced clumps 12 inch or more asunder , since onion white rot has a tendency to spread sidewise along intertwined roots . This way , if one clump becomes infected , you’re able to clear it out before others are stricken . If nothing else works and you need your genus Allium , try arise leeks . They ’re least likely to be infect by onion white rot . Otherwise , you may need to switch to container gardening until your blanched rot problem clears up .

Want to learn more about onion fungal diseases?
Onion Rustfrom Pacific Northwest ExtensionWhite Rot of Garlic and Onionsfrom University of Maine Cooperative Extension
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