The Royal Horticultural Society

Plant Pathology Advisory Leaflet

March 2012 No.20

Fungicides for Amateur Gardeners

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.
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
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:
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)

Note: Bordeaux Mixture will be withdrawn from sale on 28 February 2013 but any person can use and
store existing stocks until 28 February 2015.
2015.

Copper compounds
See: Bordeaux mixture
Copper oxychloride
Copper sulphate
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

Vegetable Disease Control (Bayer Garden)
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.

Flowers of sulphur
See: sulphur

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)

Multirose (Bayer Garden).
Garden). With rapeseed oil: also control insect pests. Only
for use on ornamental plants. Do not use on fuchsias, begonias, asters,
solidago and young seedlings
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.
Systemic Fungus Control (Doff
Doff).
Doff . Only
O for use on ornamental plants.

Octane acid (iron and

and sodium salts)
Used to form protective seal on pruning wounds

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

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)
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: Jeyes Fluid

Armillatox Soap
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)

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

Liquid concentrate:
concentrate: Multirose 2 (Bayer Garden)
Garden) with deltamethrin to control insect pest

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

Soluble powder: Lawn Disease Control (Bayer Garden)

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

 FUNGICIDE COMPANIES
Armillatox is marketed by Armillatox Ltd, The Colliery Industrial Estate, Main Road, Morton, Alfreton,
Derbys, DE55 6HL. Tel: 01773 590566. ([Link])
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
([Link])
Doff products are marketed by Doff Portland Ltd, Aerial Way, Watnall Road, Hucknall, Nottingham, NG15
6DW. Tel: 0115 983 43 00 ([Link])
Growing Success products are marketed by William Sinclair, Horticulture Ltd, Firth Road, Lincoln,
England, LN6 7AH. Tel 01522 537561 ([Link])

Jeyes products are marketed by Jeyes Limited, Brunel Way, Thetford, Norfolk IP234 1NF. Tel: 01842
757575 ([Link])

Scotts, Levington, Miracle-

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 ([Link])

Vitax products are marketed by Vitax Ltd, Owen Street, Coalville, Leics, LE67 3DE. Tel: 01530 510060
([Link])
Westland products are marketed by Westland Horticulture, 14 Granville Industrial Estate, Granville road,
Dungannon, County Tyrone, BT70 1NJ. Tel : 028 8772 7500 ([Link])

For an Alternative Format of This Leaflet please call 0845 062 1111, or textphone
18001 0845 260 5000, or email membership@[Link]
Compiled by the Advisory Staff No: 20 (6024)
of the Royal Horticultural Society
Wisley Woking Surrey GU23 6QB
Email: GardeningAdvice@[Link]
Website: [Link]
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.

THIS LEAFLET IS FREE TO RHS MEMBERS Reg charity no. 222879/SCO38262 Printed on recycled paper