Black on my sunflowers

[aggie097]

Greetings from Texas,
I’m new to growing sunflowers. My plants were doing great until recently. The leaves are tuning black/brown and starting to shrivel up. I got some copper fungicide thinking that will help but now I’m not too sure. Any help would be great. I don’t want to lose them.

 

[Chuck]

Greetings from Texas,
I’m new to growing sunflowers. My plants were doing great until recently. The leaves are tuning black/brown and starting to shrivel up. I got some copper fungicide thinking that will help but now I’m not too sure. Any help would be great. I don’t want to lose them.

This is a fungus caused by too much water and the plant staying wet. All of the rain you have been getting is the cause. Not too much you can do as sunflowers are a heat loving dry weather plant that does best when the soil is slightly damp.

 

[aggie097]

This is a fungus caused by too much water and the plant staying wet. All of the rain you have been getting is the cause. Not too much you can do as sunflowers are a heat loving dry weather plant that does best when the soil is slightly damp.

Thank you!! I’ve had the sprinklers on recently so I’ll turn that section off. What are the odds of them getting better with less watering? Will the fungicide help or should I not even bother using it?

 

[Chuck]

Thank you!! I’ve had the sprinklers on recently so I’ll turn that section off. What are the odds of them getting better with less watering? Will the fungicide help or should I not even bother using it?

They will get better but that foliage is done for. Those black areas will turn brown and the leaf will die. What you have to do is keep the new growth healthy. Keep spraying about every 7-10 days until the weather here in Texas turns to summer

 

[aggie097]

They will get better but that foliage is done for. Those black areas will turn brown and the leaf will die. What you have to do is keep the new growth healthy. Keep spraying about every 7-10 days until the weather here in Texas turns to summer

Great! Thank you so much. Should I just go ahead and cut off the infected leaves?

 

[Chuck]

Great! Thank you so much. Should I just go ahead and cut off the infected leaves?

No. The plant needs all of the photosynthesis it can muster. When they turn brown remove them.

 

[zigs]

Welcome to the forum