Fungicides for Home

Gardeners
RHS Advisory Service
March 2013
Some diseases can be controlled by several different fungicides. The effectiveness of some
fungicides may depend on the environmental conditions, so gardeners may need to try more
than one to find those that give the best control of the diseases which affect their plants. If a
non-systemic fungicide has been found to give good control of a disease and has not proved
too expensive, there is no point in changing to one of a different type. Regular use of certain
systemic fungicides, however, may lead to the build up of strains of fungi which are tolerant
to them so that they will cease to be effective.

All garden chemicals on sale in the United Kingdom are safe when used according to the
manufacturers' instructions. Every proprietary product has been issued with a DEFRA or
MAPP (Ministerially Approved Pesticide Products) number which will be found on the pack.

To minimise any possible harmful effects arising from misuse of fungicides the following
general rules should be observed:

1. Use chemicals only when they are really necessary. Prevention is almost invariably
better than cure and many diseases can be kept down by good cultivation techniques
such as rotation of crops, destruction of crop residues, thorough digging and drainage of
heavy soils.
2. You must select a chemical which is recommended for the particular purpose you have
in mind. Always read the label before choosing a product.
3. Always read the manufacturers’ label and check for any limitations or specific
precautions you should take. As an added precaution you could wear rubber gloves,
particularly when handling the concentrate or when spraying.
4. Follow all the instructions on the manufacturer's label and apply the chemical at the
stated rate and in the manner described. It is a legal requirement to comply with the
Statutory Conditions indicated on the label.
5. Make sure that you are spraying at the correct times and intervals, as this is often crucial
for the control of a disease.
6. It is illegal to mix two chemicals together to give a combined spray unless this is
recommended on the label or leaflet.
Note: Where a proprietary product contains an insecticide as well as a fungicide it would be
preferable to use an alternative product if pests have not been a problem on the plants treated.
7. Avoid contact with exposed parts of the body, particularly the eyes. Wash off any
splashes immediately with clean water.
8. Avoid breathing in dusts or sprays. Wash after using sprays or dusts.
9. Make sure no children or animals are in the vicinity when spraying.
10. Do not smoke, eat or drink while spraying.
11. Spray efficiently to wet the plants without excessive run-off or drift, but thoroughly wet
the stems, buds and the underside as well as the upper surface of the leaves.
12. Do not spray or dust in windy, completely calm or hot sunny weather. Spray in the early
morning or late afternoon or evening.

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13. Do not spray plants which may be injured by the chemical or allow spray to drift on to
them. Because of the large numbers of species and varieties of ornamental plants
grown in gardens, sensitivity to products should always be checked on a small area or
number of plants in the first instance.
14. Clean all equipment after spraying. DO NOT apply fungicides with apparatus that has
been used for weed killers.
15. Always try to make up only sufficient solution for the task. Left-over spray must not be
poured down the drain.
16. Store chemicals in a cool, dry, frost-free, safe place away from children and pets,
keeping them tightly closed and in their original containers.

Chemicals Available to the Gardener

The following list of small retail packs has been drawn up to aid members of the Society in
choosing fungicides. Most of the fungicides available to amateur gardeners are ideal garden
chemicals in that they are cheap, effective and have no undesirable side effects, as well as
being safe to use when applied as directed on the label. Others, however, though meeting
most of these criteria, may fall short in one way or another so take note of any limitations for
use given for the fungicides in this list.

Proprietary products sold for the control of plant diseases are listed under the common chemical
names of their active ingredients in alphabetical order. All manufacturers are obliged by law to print
the name of the active ingredient on the label, but this may appear in very small print. Please note
that inclusion does not necessarily indicate a recommendation by the RHS for the uses specified on
the product. It must also be emphasised that the RHS is not liable in any way for any consequences
which may ensue from the use of fungicides by amateur gardeners.

Some fungicide products listed in this leaflet under their manufacturers’ names may be
available from retail outlets as “own brand” products with the retailers’ own labelling. It is not
practicable to list all of these. Check the label of the crop protection product carefully to
confirm the active ingredient.

Bordeaux Mixture
A mixture of copper sulphate and hydrated lime, which is available as a wettable powder, for
use as a spray or a dust. Controls blight on potato and tomato; celery leaf spot; apple
canker; bacterial canker on cherry and plum; peach leaf curl; black currant and gooseberry
rust.

Limitations: Harmful to livestock which should be kept out of treated areas for at least three
weeks. Toxic to fish. Some cultivars may be damaged; if in doubt check a small part of the
plant first.

Wettable powder: Bordeaux Mixture (Vitax)

Copper compounds
See: Bordeaux mixture
Copper oxychloride
Copper sulphate

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Copper oxychloride
For the control of celery leaf spot, peach leaf curl, potato blight, tomato blight, apple and pear canker,
bacterial canker of plums and cherries, rust on currants and gooseberries, cane spot on raspberries
and loganberries. Prevents damping-off and foot rot of seedlings of edible and ornamental garden
plants.

Wettable powder: Fruit and Vegetable Disease Control (Bayer Garden)

Copper sulphate
Used in combination with other chemicals.

See: Bordeaux mixture

Difenoconazole
Systemic fungicide to control and protect against powdery mildew, rust and blackspot on
roses and rust and powdery mildews on other ornamentals (liquid concentrate or ready-to-
use spray) and also rust, powdery mildews and scabs on fruits and vegetables (liquid
concentrate only).

Limitations: Harmful to fish and other aquatic life.

Liquid Concentrate: Plant Rescue Fungus Control (Westland)

Ready-to-Use Spray: Plant Rescue Fungus Control (Westland) Only for use on
ornamentals. Do not use on dieffenbachia, stathiphyllum, begonias,
ferns, carnations, kalanchoe and Japanese azalea.

Myclobutanil
Systemic fungicide to control rust, black spot and powdery mildew on roses; rust and
powdery mildew on ornamentals; powdery mildew and scab on apples and pears (liquid
formulation only); powdery mildew on gooseberries and blackcurrants (liquid formulation
only).

Liquid Concentrates: Systhane Fungus Fighter (Bayer Garden)

Ready-to-Use Sprays:Fungus Fighter Disease Control (Bayer Garden). Only for use on
ornamental plants.
Fungus Clear 2 GUN! (Scotts). Only for use on ornamental plants.
Rose Rescue (Westland). With cypermethrin for insect control. Only
for use on ornamental plants.
Systemic Fungus Control (Doff). Only for use on ornamental plants.

Octane acid (iron and sodium salts)

Used to form protective seal on pruning wounds

Ready-to-Use Liquid: Prune and Seal (Growing Success)

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Phenolic formulations
Used to form a protective seal against fresh wound parasites on cut surfaces of certain trees
and shrubs after pruning, tree surgery and wounding.

Ready-to-use, organic resin emulsion pruning compounds: Arbrex Seal and Heal (Bayer
Garden)

Plant and Fish Oil Blends

Products containing these oils attack some pests and diseases by physical rather than
chemical action. The products listed carry no statutory conditions of use and are not
submitted to the same regulatory controls as synthetic chemical pesticides. They carry no
MAPP number. They may be used on all plants, for a range of problems, but the label warns
that plants in the Euphorbiaceae family may be sensitive. The diseases listed are powdery
mildews, black spot on roses, “helminthosporium” (a broad term for a number of leaf spots)
and greasy spot on citrus. The products may also be used against a range of pests,
especially scale insects, aphids, thrips whiteflies and spider mites.

Liquid concentrate: Organic 2 in 1 (Vitax)

Ready-to-Use spray: Organic 2 in 1 (Vitax)

Sulphur + fatty acids

Controls powdery mildew on roses and other ornamentals including house plants, trees and
shrubs.

Limitations: Apply away from fish. NOT for use on food crops or young seedlings, ferns or
Dianthus spp.

Ready-to-use sprays: Nature’s Answer® Natural Fungus and Bug Killer (Scotts)

Tar acids and oils

Tar acids and tar oils are derivatives of coal tar. Various formulations are available as
liquids or pastes.

Limitations: Should be kept off the skin and away from eyes, food and food containers.
Hazardous to fish. Protective gloves, for example neoprene (not natural rubber) and
goggles should be worn when handling the concentrated sterilants.

These products are no longer labelled for pesticide use, but are available for the sterilization
of greenhouse structures, seed trays and pots.

Liquid concentrate: Jeyes Fluid

Armillatox Soap Based Outdoor Cleaner
Ready-to-Use spray: Jeyes Fluid

As a protective paint for pruning cuts and wounds: Medo (Vitax); Arbrex Seal and Heal
(Bayer Garden)

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Tebuconazole
Systemic fungicide to control blackspot, powdery mildew and rust on roses and other
ornamental plants.

Liquid concentrate: Multirose concentrate2 (Bayer Garden) with deltamethrin to control

insect pests

Trifloxystrobin
Protects lawn against lawn diseases such as Fusarium patch and red thread

Soluble powder: Lawn Disease Control (Bayer Garden)

Triticonazole
Systemic fungicide to control blackspot, powdery mildew and rust on roses and other
ornamental plants.

Liquid concentrate: Fungus Clear Ultra (Scotts)

Roseclear Ultra (Scotts) with acetamiprid to control insect pests
Ready-to-Use spray: Roseclear Ultra Gun (Scotts) with acetamiprid to control insect pests

ALWAYS READ THE LABEL: USE PESTICIDES SAFELY

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FUNGICIDE COMPANIES
Armillatox is marketed by Armillatox Ltd, The Colliery Industrial Estate, Main Road, Morton,
Alfreton, Derbys, DE55 6HL. Tel: 01773 590566. (www.armillatox.co.uk)

Bayer Garden and Phostrogen products are marketed by Bayer Garden, a part of Bayer
CropScience Ltd., 230 Cambridge Science Park, Milton Road, Cambridge CB4 0BW Tel:
01223 226500 (www.bayergarden.co.uk)

Doff products are marketed by Doff Portland Ltd, Aerial Way, Watnall Road, Hucknall,
Nottingham, NG15 6DW. Tel: 0115 983 43 00 (www.doff.co.uk)

Growing Success products are marketed by William Sinclair, Horticulture Ltd, Firth Road,
Lincoln, England, LN6 7AH. Tel 01522 537561 (www.william-sinclair.co.uk)

Jeyes products are marketed by Jeyes Limited, Brunel Way, Thetford, Norfolk IP234 1NF.
Tel: 01842 757575 (www.jeyes.co.uk)

Scotts, Levington, Miracle-Gro, Murphy and Nature’s Answer products are marketed by
The Scotts Company (UK) Ltd, Salisbury House, Weyside Park, Catteshall Lane, Godalming,
Surrey, GU7 1XE. Tel: 01483 410334 (www.lovethegarden.com)

Vitax products are marketed by Vitax Ltd, Owen Street, Coalville, Leics, LE67 3DE. Tel:
01530 510060 (www.vitax.co.uk)

Westland products are marketed by Westland Horticulture, 14 Granville Industrial Estate,

Granville road, Dungannon, County Tyrone, BT70 1NJ. Tel : 028 8772 7500
(www.gardenhealth.com)

Online www.rhs.org.uk Email [email protected] Tel 0845 260 8000 Follow us on

Write to RHS Advisory Service, Wisley, Woking, Surrey GU23 6QB
The mention of any product, supplier or service does not constitute an endorsement by the Society.
©RHS – not to be copied or reproduced without prior permission. RHS Registered Charity No.222879/SC038262