A few years ago I had a client where my team had several plants. He even gave me a close look at one of his lilacs. I did my usual research on what was going on with the lilac and concluded that the plant had a disease called Verticillium wilt, scientifically known as Verticillium dahliae or Verticillium albo-atrum.
The symptoms were clear. I took a twig that looked sick and it was cut so far that it reached the middle of the forest. The kernel had an olive color, which made it special. If nothing is done about this disease, it will remain in the soil for some time and can weaken the plant to the point of death.
Although lilac is susceptible to vertical wilt, dogwood is not. This wonderful woman who also reads my column liked our work, so I was hoping to give her some ideas about what could happen to her dog tree.
One plant I remember from his garden was an unusual dogwood. It should have pink flowers. I remember seeing these beautiful pink flowers on this tree. When talking about an unusual plant, keep in mind that there are varieties that are not as strong as the standard varieties. In other words, the white dog becomes stronger and more resistant to diseases and other plant pests.
This does not mean that all plants can be cured of disease, and often the unusual characteristics of some plants can make them worth growing.
One of my clients in Loudonville called me many years ago about dog sticks. As I remember, the house was on the edge of a hill, and behind the house were two white dogs. It was a beautiful place and the views were breathtaking. The problem was that the dogwood that caused the most problems was a little lower on the hill, rather than a little higher. Both trees died. The proximity of trees to each other can have a significant effect on other trees in the area.
Both of these dogs had a disease called anthrax. Canine downy mildew or Discula destructiva is a fungal disease that attacks developing shoots and leaves. The most obvious symptoms are burning of the leaves, brown or black spots around the area with a purple halo, and flower spots on the edges of the leaves. Infected young leaves may also curl. Eventually, this leads to falling leaves and dead branches. This disease can cause branch and trunk cancer in young trees.
To combat this disease, you can prune infected branches and branches in autumn or winter; Remember to soak the plums in denatured alcohol after each slice. As with all pruning, consider fertilizing to promote healthy growth and avoid wetting the trees' leaves. There are different types of fungicides that can help. It can be a deadly dogwood disease. Do not use tree wood as mulch.
A favorite way to combat these diseases is to plant disease-resistant trees. If you have a plant that is susceptible to any of these diseases, make sure you plant this sensitive plant in the perfect location and take special care of it. It is much better not to solve a problem than to do whatever it takes to find a solution.
Another leaf curl disease is the fungal disease Verticillium wilt, which affects trees and ornamental shrubs. Verticillium wilt is a soil-borne disease that attacks trees from the roots and damages the vascular tissue of the trees. Symptoms of the disease include yellowing, curling leaves, small leaves, wilting leaves and dark streaks on the tree's watercolor tissue.
The University of California Integrated Pest Management Program recommends soil fumigation to control severe infestations and prevent tree mortality. Some infections occur but are not serious enough to require the use of potentially dangerous fumigants. Methyl bromide and chloropicrin are very strong fumigants and require a special permit to purchase. This disease can also be fatal to the plant.
I hope you have a lovely walk in the garden this week. Take time to smell the flowers every day. We are on the threshold of summer. If you walk through the garden and have any questions, please write to me. My email address is ericlarson546@yahoo.com. I will publish this column on the blog and allow you to leave a comment at ohealthyfoodcooperative.org.
Erik Larson of Jeromesville is a landscape designer and garden enthusiast and a founding member of the Ohio Chapter of the Society of Professional Landscape Designers.
This article originally appeared in the Mansfield News Journal; Anthracnose in dogs and verticillium in lilac
