Pests
1. Allium Leaf Miner
Symptoms: Tiny white or brown tunnels appear on leaves.
Prevention & Control: Cover young plants with fine mesh or horticultural fleece to prevent egg-laying. Remove affected leaves promptly. Rotate crops to reduce infestation.
2. Onion Fly
Symptoms: Yellowing, stunted leaves, and rotting bulbs caused by larvae feeding at the base.
Prevention & Control: Use row covers or fleece to protect seedlings. Avoid planting garlic where onions, leeks, or other alliums grew the previous year. Remove and destroy infested plants.
3. Slugs & Snails
Symptoms: Holes in leaves and young shoots.
Control: Hand-pick pests, use grit or crushed eggshells around plants, or set beer traps. Mulching with coarse material can also deter them.
Diseases
1. White Rot (Sclerotium cepivorum)
Symptoms: Yellowing leaves, blackened roots, and bulb decay.
Prevention & Control: Avoid planting garlic in infected soil for at least four years. Remove and burn affected plants. Practice strict garden hygiene.
2. Downy Mildew
Symptoms: Grey, fuzzy growth on leaf undersides, stunted shoots.
Prevention & Control: Improve air circulation by spacing plants adequately. Avoid overhead watering. Remove and destroy infected leaves immediately.
3. Fusarium Basal Rot
Symptoms: Bulbs rot from the base; leaves yellow and die back prematurely.
Prevention & Control: Plant in well-drained soil. Avoid overwatering and ensure good crop rotation. Remove affected bulbs and compost carefully away from healthy crops.
4. Bolting (Premature Flowering)
Cause: Stress from temperature fluctuations or irregular watering.
Effect: Bulbs may be smaller and less storable.
Prevention: Plant appropriate varieties for your region, maintain consistent moisture, and remove flower stems (scapes) as they appear
1. Allium Leaf Miner
Symptoms: Tiny white or brown tunnels appear on leaves.
Prevention & Control: Cover young plants with fine mesh or horticultural fleece to prevent egg-laying. Remove affected leaves promptly. Rotate crops to reduce infestation.
2. Onion Fly
Symptoms: Yellowing, stunted leaves, and rotting bulbs caused by larvae feeding at the base.
Prevention & Control: Use row covers or fleece to protect seedlings. Avoid planting garlic where onions, leeks, or other alliums grew the previous year. Remove and destroy infested plants.
3. Slugs & Snails
Symptoms: Holes in leaves and young shoots.
Control: Hand-pick pests, use grit or crushed eggshells around plants, or set beer traps. Mulching with coarse material can also deter them.
Diseases
1. White Rot (Sclerotium cepivorum)
Symptoms: Yellowing leaves, blackened roots, and bulb decay.
Prevention & Control: Avoid planting garlic in infected soil for at least four years. Remove and burn affected plants. Practice strict garden hygiene.
2. Downy Mildew
Symptoms: Grey, fuzzy growth on leaf undersides, stunted shoots.
Prevention & Control: Improve air circulation by spacing plants adequately. Avoid overhead watering. Remove and destroy infected leaves immediately.
3. Fusarium Basal Rot
Symptoms: Bulbs rot from the base; leaves yellow and die back prematurely.
Prevention & Control: Plant in well-drained soil. Avoid overwatering and ensure good crop rotation. Remove affected bulbs and compost carefully away from healthy crops.
4. Bolting (Premature Flowering)
Cause: Stress from temperature fluctuations or irregular watering.
Effect: Bulbs may be smaller and less storable.
Prevention: Plant appropriate varieties for your region, maintain consistent moisture, and remove flower stems (scapes) as they appear
