Cool weather is a reminder that fall is not far away and
soon gardeners will be preparing the landscape for winter. Many plant pathogens
are able to survive winter in gardens in infected leaves, flowers, branches, and
fruit. Gardeners can reduce the risk of plant disease next year by using the
following steps to do a thorough fall garden clean up.
Trees and shrubs Examine leaves before they change color for evidence of a leaf spot disease. Leaf spots come in many colors, are randomly scattered across the leaf surface, and often are more severe on the lower and inner leaves. They will be easiest to identify when the leaves are green.If a leaf spot disease is found, leaves should be raked up and removed or mulched into the lawn with a mulching lawn mower after normal leaf fall. Look for branches with wilting or dead leaves. Discolored, cracked or blistered bark on these branches could indicate the presence of a canker infection on the branch. A large tumor like growth on the branch woul…
Trees and shrubs Examine leaves before they change color for evidence of a leaf spot disease. Leaf spots come in many colors, are randomly scattered across the leaf surface, and often are more severe on the lower and inner leaves. They will be easiest to identify when the leaves are green.If a leaf spot disease is found, leaves should be raked up and removed or mulched into the lawn with a mulching lawn mower after normal leaf fall. Look for branches with wilting or dead leaves. Discolored, cracked or blistered bark on these branches could indicate the presence of a canker infection on the branch. A large tumor like growth on the branch woul…