Popular Plants Enable Further Spread Of Disease

By Phran Novelli

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Why don't you plant something else? Or at least, don't plant all the same thing anyway. Recently, I was telling you about Rose Rosette Disease, a nasty virus threatening ornamental roses, including all those you see planted in big groups in gardens and public places.

Any disease that attacks popular plants is scary. It's ugly to see plants dying, expensive to remove and replace them, and it also hurts nurseries and garden centers that lose money on plants that die and plants that people don't want to buy due to disease worries.

But one easy way to reduce your risk is to not plant the same thing everyone else has. Don't make your yard a carbon copy of every garden and parking lot you pass by. Not only is all that repetition boring, it increases the chances for disaster, because when a disease or an insect strikes a super-popular plant - like impatiens or boxwood or roses - the impact is magnified and becomes that much more devastating.

So be unique and save yourself a lot of money and heartache over time. Don't plant too much of a 'good' thing no matter how popular it may be.