The Disease Triangle

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Back in elementary school in Southern California, there once was a visit from a local firefighter who had Smokey the Bear in tow with him (I felt sorry for whoever was in that outfit. It was a hot day). Because, as Smokey would remind us daily on TV public service announcements, “Remember, Only You Can Prevent Forest Fires.”

The purpose was to explain to us fifth graders the fire triangle: that you need three elements to start a fire: fuel, oxygen, and heat. So, douse that campfire with water (to take away the oxygen), and separate the remains (the fuel) from each other (to lessen the heat), and don’t play with matches, kids.

Turns out, the same sort of triangle can help you figure out how to control plant diseases in the garden. Debbie Flower, America’s Favorite Retired College Horticulture Professor, calls it “The Disease Triangle”. Debbie says, “If you know this, you can control diseases without chemicals.”

She explains that intriguing statement in today’s newsletter podcast, above. For those of you who prefer to use your eyes, here’s the transcript, which includes links to more information about certain statements, and maybe a country song, too:

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