How can I tell if my garden has mosaic virus? And if it does, what should I do?
I have a center city garden and many plants have started crinkling leaves, some have light spots. Peas, grapes, oregano, zucchini, moon flowers, ivy, hosta, redbud and styrax are impacted, Kale and basil are not. Help.
Answer
Dear Jackie: It is hard to know if you have Mosaic viruses without seeing the garden. The symptoms are distorted growth, spots on plant tissues, stunting, yellowing and mottled leaves. Plants usually grow slowly and growth is somewhat stunted. There may be sunken yellow areas on the fruit of tomatoes. On other vegetables, the leaves may be elongated and thin like shoestrings. The virus is spread by wind and sucking insects. The controls for viruses do not really exist. The best way to combat them is by selecting resistant cultivars and trying to control sucking insects. If you are sure you have a virus infected plant, removal is recommended to prevent further spread.