leaf - ONCE UPON A CONEFLOWER

Controlling Leaf Spot

Got spots? Yellow, curled, prematurely dying leaves? If the plant is otherwise healthy looking, the culprit is probably leaf spot. Most leaf diseases are caused by fungi, although bacteria and nematodes can create foliar problems too.

Earlier this spring, conditions were ideal for fungal diseases to get a foothold in many gardens. First it was unusally warm, then turned quickly colder with temperatures remaining below normal for several weeks, followed by a period of no rain. Such conditions are optimal for leaf spot.

Here’s what to know and how to control this common, widespread nuisance.

Fabulous Foliage

You’ve probably heard the old grammatical joke, “Eats Shoots and Leaves”. Without commas, the phrase might refer to a panda munching bamboo, or maybe a hungry caterpillar. But with commas, “Eats, Shoots, and Leaves” describes a cowboy wolfing his lunch and firing his six-shooter as he exits the saloon!

As any copyeditor will tell you, commas matter. But ask a gardener and it’s the shoots and leaves that matter!

Ferns, tropicals, shrubs, edibles: They all boast distinct foliage forms that are not only functional, but often very beautiful and valued in their own right. Foliage is simply the plant without its flower or reproductive parts. Foliage sustains, shelters, thrills and surprises us.