I have a Dogwood that is 10+ years old, the leaves are drying and wilting on the tips. Do you have any suggestions as to how I can get my tree healthy?
Liz
Anne's Response:
Liz,
There are several causes of the symptoms you describe. The plant could be in too much sun and if it is also in an area that does not have enough moisture in the soil the leaves could get scorched. Making sure the plant is watered regularly and keeping a layer of about 3 inches of organic mulch under the limb spread of the dogwood will help the plant survive. We have also had high humidity and temperatures this spring that encourage the spread of mildew fungus. The other symptom for powdery mildew is a grey powdery coating on the surface of the leaf. Mildew can be prevented with a fungicide spray but once the symptoms have appeared about the only thing you can do is keep the plant healthy with water, mulch and some fungicide to keep the fungus from spreading. If the blooms of the tree were deformed and discolored the plant may have a Botrytis infection. When the infected flowers drop on the leaves they produce the damage you describe. A fungicide applied when the tree starts to flower helps control this disease.
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