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Larry Sagers Horticultural Specialist Utah State University Extension Service Thanksgiving Point Office © All Rights Reserved
For additional information read my column in yesterday’s Deseret Morning News.
For pictures of all the diseases we are covering log onto my website at www.larrysagers.com
To register for these classes, call Gretchen at (801) 768-7443 or log onto http://www.thanksgivingpoint.com/
Passionate about Perennials Tuesday June 7, 14, 21 and 28 10:00 AM -Noon with Larry Sagers and Gretchen Campbell If you love perennial gardens or the cottage garden look then you will love this class. Learn about perennial plants and how to select them according to their water and light requirements. Fee: $40.00
Basic Landscape Design Tuesday June 7, 14, 21 and 28, 2:00-4:30 PM or 6:00 -8:30 PM with Larry Sagers Whether you're designing a first-time landscape or remodeling an existing landscape, learn steps for creating a look that you will enjoy. The class covers creating focal points, entryways, how to frame your home or preserve a view and water-wise landscaping. There will be USU Extension Service Master Gardeners available for a 15-minute individual consultation on the last day of class. Fee: $40.00
If you see maladies that you do not recognize, it might be “the fungus among us.” If you cannot diagnose the problem, check with your local USU Extension Service Office for additional help with plant problems.
The change in the weather has been sudden and abrupt but the spring moisture leaves behind an interesting horticultural legacy. That legacy is the same that gardeners in many parts of the country deal with on an annual basis, specifically plant diseases.
Plant diseases have many causes but the two covered in this article are fungal and bacterial diseases. These are the pest that the cool moist spring has affected the most. Most of these diseases are not normally a problem because our dry climate prevents them from infecting our plants and flourishing here.
Since many of these diseases are not common, you might want to get a little help diagnosing the problems and deciding what if anything can be do. Fortunately, help is available at your local Utah State University Extension Service Office.
Among the many samples coming this spring is sycamore anthracnose. This disease has hit with a vengeance unknown in at least the past twenty years. Virtually every sycamore or London plane tree is showing symptoms.
The symptom most people first notice is that there are no leaves on their trees. Common questions are why are they so late coming out or why are the leaves so small this year? Of course the answer is most of the leaves are dead.
The infection occurs just as the leaf buds start to open. The fungus thrives with the cool temperatures and spreads onto the newly unfolding leaves. The fungus quickly kills the leaves and the tree looks barren.
Although this disease makes the trees look horrible, sycamores are tough trees and are not going to die from the infections. Because it kills the buds and the twigs beyond that point die back, the trees do take on a rather unnatural twiggy appearance.
Although anthracnose is most noticeable on the sycamores, it also shows up on oaks, maples, walnuts, some elm species, walnuts and some other trees. Watch the trees in your landscape for signs of the disease.
If you are thinking about doing something, think again. About all you can do is to mark on your calendar to spray the trees next season when the buds start to open. Repeat the fungicidal sprays every two weeks until we get consistent dry weather.
If you have quaking aspen trees in your landscape you are in for a surprise soon. Aspen leaf spot is another fungal disease that is rampant in cool, moist, spring weather. This disease is interesting because of the delayed onset. The infection starts when the leaf buds unfold in early March.
Large black spots show up months after the infection. These grow together and turn most of the foliage black. When the symptoms appear, it is too late to do anything.
Although the trees look horrible, it will not kill large trees. If you have high value trees, make a note on next year’s calendar to spray as the leaves unfold and continue spraying every two weeks until the weather gets warm and dry.
All of the Utah State University Extension Service Offices along the Wasatch Front, conduct weekly diagnostic clinics. For contact information for the counties, log onto http://extension.usu.edu/cooperative/index.cfm/cid.256/
