Garden Plant diseases symptoms and remedies.

(Shoots distorted or wilted)

Plants affected:Prunus species and birches.

Several shoots, sometimes bearing blistered foliage, growing from one point and crowded together on infected branches.

Cutout the affected branch to a point 12,5 cm below the broom and paint the wound with a protective paint.

(Shoots distorted or wilted)

Plants affected: Raspberries, logan berries and hybrid berries.

Symptoms: Small circular, purple spots, enlarging to become elliptical white blotches with a purple border, about 6mm long. These eventually split to form small pits, which give the canes arough cracked appearance. Leaves may also be spotted and fruit distorted.

Treatment: Cut out and burn badly spotted canes. Spray raspberries with 5 percent lime sulphur at bud burst and 2,5 percent lime sulphur immediately before blossom time. Alternatively, use copper or thiram (except on fruit to be to be processed) at these times, or use benomyl or thiophanate-methyl from bud burst to the end of blossoming at fourteen day intervals. For loganberries apply a copper fungicide or thiram (except on fruit to be processed) both before blossom time and as soon as the fruit has set, or use benomyl or thiophanate-methyl as for raspberries,

(Shoots distorted or wilted)

Plants affected: Cherries and other prunus species.

Symptoms:  Gum exudes on branches and trunks and gradually hardens.

Treatment:  With good feeding, mulching and watering, the gumming should stop but gum may have to be removed so that the dead wood beneath can be cut out. Cover the wood with protective paint.

(Shoots distorted or wilted)

Plants affected: Roses.

Symptoms:  Swelling on stems that burst open to reveal a mass of bright orange, powdery spores.

Treatment: Cut out and burn affected shoots.