Woody Ornamental Pest Update

I spoke too soon last week.  The gloomy weather has returned, but I’ll look on the bright side (bad pun not intended) that all the rain sets up landscape and nursery plants for an easier summer than last year.

 As I mentioned last week, the weather has been very conducive for early season plant pathogens.  I have seen lots of bacterial problems.  I have seen lilacs, viburnums, and Prunus with dark, angular leaf spots and/or ruined foliar buds with Psuedomonas syringae.  Copper products (Camelot, Phyton 27, Kocide, Champion) have efficacy against bacterial diseases and some fungal ones too.  They work best when applied preventatively, but you would have had to have known of a previous problem or been able to predict the prolonged wet weather.  You may still want to apply if there is continued new growth and it doesn’t become drier.  Another bacterial problem that has been quite active is fireblight (Erwinia amlyovora).  Crabapple, hawthorn, cotoneaster, and many others are host plants.  If possible, mechanical removal of symptomatic branches may be an option.  Prune at least 8-12 inches below the visible damage margin.  It is essential that pruning equipment is properly sanitized with either 70% alcohol or 10% bleach after every cut.

I am conducting a landscape pest walk on June 22 at the Lancaster County Historical Society in Lancaster.  Part of the landscape we will use is President Buchanan’s home “Wheatland”.  The flier for this event will be sent to those of you on my e-mail list, or you can view it by clicking on the link at the bottom of this article.

The announcement for the 2011 PSU Extension Summer Turf & Ornamentals School has just gone out.  Registration this year is through CVENT.  This is an online registration service.  There will not be a mailed registration flier like all previous years.  The link to register is http://guest.cvent.com/d/2dqb9j  

As alway, let me know if you have any questions or comments.

Tim Abbey,
Penn State Extension, York County,
112 Pleasant Acres Rd., York, PA 17402, 717-840-7408
tma13@psu.edu