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Wood rot has no cure once decay is established. The 10 strategies below prevent decay and spot a hazard tree, starting with the pruning cut that closes fast and the wound dressing that does not. The signature is soft, spongy,…
Ramularia leaf spot on strawberries is mostly cosmetic. The 7 strategies below spot it, tell it from leaf scorch, and protect the patch, starting with the resistant variety that lowers the pressure before the season opens. The signature is a…
Yellow patch on a home lawn is usually not yellow patch. The 7 strategies below tell it from other yellow patches and keep it cosmetic, starting with the triage that separates a real case from the far more common causes.…
Exobasidium leaf gall is mostly cosmetic. The 7 ways below care for azaleas and camellias and keep galls in check, starting with the spring inspection that catches galls before they turn white. The signature is a thick, fleshy, swollen leaf…
Ergot is a poison, not a plant disease to treat. The 7 ways below spot the toxic black spurs and keep them out of food and feed, starting with the seed-head inspection that finds them. The signature is a black…
Maize dwarf mosaic virus has no cure. The 7 strategies below prevent it on sweet corn, starting with the resistant hybrid that stops the disease before it starts. The signature is a mosaic mottling on leaves, stunting, and poor ear…
Fungal problems on palm start with 1 question: where is the symptom? The location narrows the fungus before anything else does. A spot on a leaflet points to a leaf spot fungus, while a rotting spear leaf points to bud…
Start with one question: where does the symptom sit? A nectarine tree with a problem answers that question first. That one question sorts 11 problems faster than a close-up photo does. A nectarine is Prunus persica var. nucipersica, a smooth-skinned…
Why is my lemon tree not fruiting? Count 3 things before you touch the tree: flowers, set fruit, and fallen fruit. A lemon tree with no flowers has a different problem from a tree covered in flowers that never set…
Tobacco ringspot virus has no cure. The 9 strategies below prevent it and protect the garden, starting with the seed and planting stock that carry it in. The virus is a nepovirus, not a tobacco disease. Tobacco ringspot virus spreads…
Target spot has no cure for the leaves it marks. The 9 strategies below prevent it on tomato and cucumber, starting with the clean seedlings that keep the fungus out of the bed. The signature is a leaf spot with…
Fusiform rust has no cure once a pine is infected. The 9 strategies below care for yard pines and prevent breakage, starting with the spring check that catches galls while they are still prunable. The signature is a spindle-shaped swelling,…
Sour rot has no cure for the berries it touches. The 10 strategies below spot it early, tell it from Botrytis, and protect the rest of the harvest, starting with the sniff test that names it. The signature is wet,…
Tomato ringspot virus has no cure. The 9 strategies below protect blueberries, raspberries, and fruit trees from a hidden virus, starting with the planting stock that carries it into the garden. The virus is a nepovirus, not a tomato disease.…
Myrothecium leaf spot has no cure once a plant is infected. The 8 strategies below keep the fungus from establishing on bedding plants, perennials, and melons, starting with the watering habit that keeps foliage dry. The signature is a leaf…
Walk to the tree and look at where the damage sits before you name anything. 4 locations cover every gum tree fungus: leaves, bark, roots, or the whole crown. Fungal problems on gum tree hosts follow one triage: find the…
Fig tree root rot in Australia kills edible figs from the roots up. Wet soil starves the roots of air, water moulds move in, and the roots turn soft and dark. Dig one side 15 cm down and check the…
Why is my camellia turning brown? Start with location. 9 causes cover nearly every case. Leaves, flowers, buds, and the whole plant brown for different reasons. Find where the brown sits, then match the pattern. Most cases need one fix,…
Ramorum blight has no cure. The 9 strategies below keep Phytophthora ramorum out of the garden and out of the region, starting with the buying habits that stop the pathogen at the nursery gate. The pathogen is a water mold,…
Pestalotiopsis leaf spot follows damage and wet foliage. The 8 strategies below keep the fungus off conifers and palms through sanitation, dry leaves, and stress repair, starting with the dead tissue that feeds it. The signature on conifers is a…
