Diseases
-
The average lifespan for flowering cherry trees in Georgia is about thirty years. As they begin to reach this advanced age for cherries, we begin to see a cascading set of problems that ultimate lead to the decline and death of a tree. Typically, we get calls at the Extension office once the tree begins…
-
Construction and major landscape renovations can have a negative impact on existing trees, but the damage is often not immediately visible. We commonly see trees, in close proximity to the construction zone, die within five to seven years of building a new home. In many cases, trees should be removed prior to a home being…
-
There are many options for controlling weeds in home lawns. Many of the turfgrass herbicides on the market today are highly selective and control specific weeds without damaging the grass. However, it’s important to note that these herbicides are not completely harmless to lawns and the ability of a lawn to “tolerate” an herbicide depends…
-
We’ve had numerous calls this season about mushrooms popping up in lawns and landscapes. When the “fungus among us” forms a circle or arc pattern, it’s commonly known as a fairy ring. In some cases, fairy ring mushrooms can cause a discoloration or abnormal growth of turfgrass in lawns. According to medieval folklore, they were…
-
Sooty mold can be a very confusing plant disorder to troubleshoot for many backyard gardeners and commercial landscapers. Quite often small trees, shrubs, and flowers that have no obvious insect or disease problems can be completely covered by this mysterious black mold. Even more perplexing is the fact that the same varieties of flowers and…
-
Japanese holly, Ilex crenata, are popular evergreen shrubs found in many residential and commercial landscapes. Unlike many other types of hollies, Japanese hollies do not have any thorns. Some of the more popular varieties include ‘Helleri’, ‘Compacta’, and ‘Soft Touch’. These slow-growing Japanese holly varieties produce dense, compact shrubs that require minimal pruning to maintain…
