It’s so disheartening. You carefully plant a row of shrubs, envisioning a dense, glossy green hedge in the months ahead. Then they begin to look a little sickly, and then go from bad to worse.
That’s what happened to reader April McReynolds’ holly bushes.
QUESTION: “I have three problems with my hollies with no solution whatsoever! First, I bought them last year, and they were all ready well established plants, around two feet tall, in rather large pots. They looked great. I had thought I was creating a great hedge. Then I was shocked when the leaves all fell off.
“The lady at the plant nursery said we were over-watering them. They have never fully recovered in my opinion. Although their leaves have returned, they are not thickening or growing at all. It’s almost as if they are stunted. I have not been pruning because I am afraid they will never grow back.
“The second issue is that I noticed this white residue on the underside of the leaves. Does this mean we are not watering enough? It is like a mold substance that can be removed (very strange)!
“Coupled with this white stuff is a black fungus on the top of these poor plants’ leaves and I am trying to figure out what it is. Last year when the leaves had fallen off I had sprayed with Miracle Grow, I am worried that I may have caused the problem by my lack of plant knowledge. I thought I'd ask an expert's opinion on how to proceed to a healthy recovery.
“Most of the plants get full sun. They are watered once every week in hotter months, and once every two weeks in colder months. It rained here a lot last year. We do not fertilize out of fear. Any suggestions?” – April McReynolds
ANSWER: It sounds as if they are weak in their present state. When plants are in a weakened condition they are more susceptible to disease.
The white underside could be white fly or spider mites. You will need to spray underneath the leaves to get rid of the infestation and it might take more then a couple of times. There is a product called Bug Buster (Esfenvalerate) that is good for that.
Once you get rid of that problem I believe the black will also go away. These are plants that will have to be nursed back to life and not forced. You are right not to use any type of fertilizer at this time. Once you get rid of this problem and the leaves begin to come back you can start using an organic fertilizer in small doses. Good luck and I hope this helps.
QUESTION: “Almost half of my backyard is clovers! I have a well so I don’t want to use chemicals in the backyard, but also I don't want to get down on my hands and knees and pull all of them, or kill my grass. I've tried covering sections for a week, but they just came back. What should I do?” – Concerned lawn owner
ANSWER: Gosh, that is a common question. Cheryl and I have this dilemma too, not only in our grass but also in the planting beds in the front of our home.
Unfortunately, the only way I know to get rid of the clover and other noxious weeds is with an over-the-top herbicide such as Turflon Ester. I don’t believe that your well will be affected, as long as it is deep enough. I do not want you to take my word for it so you need to contact the water company and the local conservation district to make sure it does not affect your drinking water.
I know you do not like chemicals any more then I do, but it is the only way I know how. In fact, I am doing it this weekend. If any readers know of an effective non-chemical solution, please let me know at steve@landsteward.org.
Once you have eradicated the clover, create a healthy lawn using organic procedures and you will no longer have this problem, or at least not as great in the future.
The Plant Man is here to help. Send your questions about trees, shrubs and landscaping to steve@landsteward.org and for resources and additional information, or to subscribe to Steve's free e-mailed newsletter, visit www.landsteward.org
