Think you might have fungus? Call us right away. Some types of fungus can do lasting damage very quickly. Fungi are one of the living organisms that can cause plant disease and are the cause of about eighty-five percent of all plant diseases.

More than 100,000 species of fungi have been classified and include molds, mildews, and mushrooms. Most are beneficial or benign, with only about eight percent of fungal species causing plant diseases. Unlike plants, fungi do not have chlorophyll and cannot photosynthesize. Instead they must rely on other living.

Usually a microscope is needed to see and identify fungi, but they are sometimes visible with the naked eye. Examples include large colonies of target spot fungus on tomato or a conk (shelf fungus) growing on a palm tree.

Some fungi reproduce through mycelia, including Rhizoctonia spp. that produces branch-like fungal threads that can survive for long periods before germinating. However, most fungi reproduce via spores. Spores provide the fungus with a great means for dispersal. Their lightweight nature means that they can be carried for miles on the wind. Spores can be moved from one place to another by splashing water, either from rainfall or irrigation. Spores and mycelia can also travel in soil when infected soil from one area of the garden is transferred to the soil around a healthy plant. Spores can sit inactive for long periods prior to germination, which will only occur in the presence of water or high moisture levels. Once the spores have germinated, the fungus can penetrate and infect plant tissue through a plant's cuticle, through natural openings (called stomata) in the plant's leaves or stems, or through wounds.