AboutTom Alonzo Expertise I have been a gardener for 20 years with perennials both growing from seed and from nurseries. I went through the Master Gardener Program from Kansas State University Cooperative Extension Service and I answered questions on the Hotline a few years ago for the Wyandotte County Kansas Extension Service. I have also lived in the Florida, California, Hawaii, Arizona, Texas, Kansas and Missouri and am experienced with a variety of climates, soils and weather conditions.
Experience I have been growing perennials for over 20 years now. I am self-taught mostly except for a master gardener class. I have experimented with all kinds of perennials including many that are not common to my area. I have read hundreds of books and grown hundreds of varieties of plants and hope to make it a business some day. I have become versed in botanical names and growing conditions and what I don't know off of the top of my head I can usually easily find in my vast array of research material and botanical and horticultural contacts. I especially enjoy experimenting with growing plants out of zone.
Question QUESTION: One of my two plants, planted early spring is thriving, the other is developing
severe brown, spreading from the center spine of the each leaf. This happened
once before, I sprayed Orthonex and it cleared up. The soil around each seems
to be the same. Any help? Thanks
ANSWER: Hi Fred,
Thanx for your question. Here is an image. Let me know if this is what you're talking about.
QUESTION: Tom, Thanks. The brown deterioration of leaves on one of my rhododendron
spreads out from the leaf spine, rather than the leaf end damage in picture you
sent. I have not seen sticky strings. The first problem cleared after spraying
Orthonex, but it did not seem to help this time, and damage is spreading to
more leaves. Any ideas. Fred
Answer Hi Fred,
Thanx for the additional information. This could be a fungal die back in which case you need to remove the diseased branches and dispose of them in the rubbish. To manage this disease, cut out the affected branches a few inches below the affected area and then destroy the branches. You can then spray with a basic copper sulfate fungicide after blooming. Repeat 2 or more times at intervals of 14 days. I hope this helps.
Tom
