January 2007

January 2007

Saturday, June 11, 2011

Hydrangea fungus

This was my hydrangea a few years ago in the fall. It was a large, beautiful, healthy plant.  Then within a couple of days it looked like this _
Some kind of fungus?  When I dug it up this spring, the roots didn't show signs of root rot. The leaves didn't develop any black spots. It looked like someone took a blow torch to it.
2 weeks ago, I purchased a new hydrangea. This time I chose an endless summer.  Some of the leaves have begun to turn a sort of silvery color. It doesn't look like powdery mildew. I've been picking them off, keeping the area around it clean, and spraying with a fungicide. I don't like using chemicals in my garden, but sometimes I give in. So far, it hasn't died. I'm keeping my fingers crossed! I probably shouldn't have planted it in the same spot as my old one, but darn it all - that's where I want it!


On a better note, the battle I've been fighting the last couple of years with the viburnum leaf beetle seems to have been won - by ME!! My snowball bush is gorgeous this year and covered with snowballs.

7 comments:

  1. Never heard of a fungus on Hydrangea but isn't there always something that gardeners have to battle. Good for winning the fight with the viburnum beetle

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  2. So far my Hydrangea do wonderful, but last year all of us complained about burn during the drought. I'm wondering with this one if that is part of the problem with the intense heat we've all had so early and this is on very young new leaves. Don't lose hope, might just be this year. My Forever and Ever are burning a little but I also have them in too much sun. All the rest of mine take it but not them so will probably dig them up this fall and pass them along. Good luck
    Cher
    Goldenray Yorkies

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  3. I have a terrible time growing hydrangea. The same things happen to me, the leaves start to turn brown and all fall off. I've killed 2 hydrangeas, but I love them so much. I'll try again I guess. I hope you find out more info on this problem!

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  4. This happened in my garden and the garden of a friend a few years back. I remember googling for an explantion, but not the name of the disease.

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  5. Its always weird and annoying when plants that don't usually get diseased show up with odd diseases. I had to break out the fungicide for the first time ever to save my jasmine vine. It was worth it. Would take 10 years to get one that big again.

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  6. Oh, how sad--I have yet to have problems with my hydrangeas, but imagine it's only a matter of time. I just bought a new hydrangea last week and will keep a close eye on it, hopefully this isn't the start of some hydrangea blight.

    Seems like gardeners are constantly fending off something, doesn't it?

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  7. I hope you got rid of this and the garden is better elsewhere!

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