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Help! forsythia has crown gall

gardenlady_grow

16 years ago

Can anyone tell me how to dig up a forsythia with crown gall? I've read you need to dig the shrub up and put bleach down to disinfect the soil? It's about 5' tall and around 4-5' wide. Also do I need to remove all roots to prevent further damage to surounding shrubs? I would like to replace with a Hydrangea, not sure if this is a good plant to replace in that spot.

Thanks

Kathy

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Comments (4)

Embothrium
16 years ago
Try doing web searches for crown gall, reading various discussions. Note the scientific name of the bacterium involved and trying searching by that. Don't know about pouring bleach on the ground, that doesn't sound too good.
gardenlady_grow
Original Author
16 years ago
Thanks,I've done a lot of research and the scientific name is agrobacterium tumefaciens. Some will tell you to dig up and destroy and others will say leave it. Most have said it will spread. The bleach is a 25% solution, which does sound a little drastic. One web site said not to replant for 2-3 years. Removing this shrub will leave a gapping hole in the garden.

Thanks
Kathy
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You should see if you can dig around it some and find out if it's on the roots too. If not you may be OK but if you find gall underground on the roots I don't think bleach is going to help. Good luck!
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I have the same problem with a forsythia. I can only see the galls after all the leaves have dropped. I've been pruning them out for years. The plant has survived and continues to grow though it doesn't flower like it used to. But since it's used as a privacy screen that doesn't matter to me. The disease has yet to spread to other plants and I don't think it's likely to either. I spray my equipment with alcohol in-between cuts and I remove all debris under the shrub and put down fresh mulch after the leaves drop and then again in the early spring. Here's what gall looks like on my forsythia.
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I experience similar issues with the Flower Carpet series here. Both are descended from The Fairy, which is also highly susceptible to crown gall in my climate. With both The Fairy and Flower Carpets, it frequently progresses to the point of actually killing the plants. I don't know of a treatment any more successful than Gallex/Galltrol. Kim Here is a link that might be useful: Gallex - Galltrol
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Just wanted to update on the crown gall problem with DA. They have since replaced the plants and they looked fine except for again there was some mold on one of the canes. I think that it is more of a shipping problem than a DA problem. Heat and moisture. Anyway when I called them I also asked if the crown gall was in the field. Their response was that they "do their best" to keep diseases out of the field. Unfortunately I did not save their email to me or I would share it. So we will see how these roses fare. They are looking pretty good. All kinds of shoots coming out and I never know what to prune off. I know to cut the inward facing shoots but still, I just hate cutting too much. I don't grow many roses because of my climate on the central Calif. coast. If it's not mildew and botrytis then it's thrips and rose slugs. I have a beautiful Marilyn Monroe that's on fortuniana and she is 5-6' (and would be just as wide if not for a fence) that I have sprayed and sprayed and still every year the botrytis comes back. Just so disheartening. Next time I think I will take Cynthia's advice and order from Roses Unlimited. Over the years I have heard nothing but great things about them. Thanks for everyone's replies, Janet
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Embothrium
16 years ago
Supposed to have become a problem in nursery production areas of the Willamette Valley at one time. Don't know how it was (or is) being dealt with. There are some huge operations down there.

Around here (Seattle area) I have seen crown galls on roses, wintercreeper, forsythia and aspen. It seems to be associated with claylike soils.

My neighbor to the south "scored" a free, specimen-sized 'Klehm's Improved Bechtel' crabapple a few years ago which now stands in the midst of her hobby garden out in front - probably not more than 30 ft. from our property. Soon after it appeared I examined it and discovered it was sporting a crown gall about the size of a brain or basketball. I pointed the infestation out and suggested she not plant near the tree, clean her footwear and tools, look on the internet to see about painting the galls with something - and also that she pull the tree up and burn it. I saw no signs of sanitation measures being taken at the time and since then various other plants have been inserted right in around the tree.
gardenlady_grow
Original Author
16 years ago
Thanks again, I have 2 Forsthia's with crown gall,both bought at the same nursery. Like I said taking one of them out will leave a hole in the garden. The other one I'm ok with removing. I think my plan of action is to remove and destroy both. Didn't think about cleaning footwear, Thanks for the reminder. I will clean all tools and use the bleach solution as recommended. I'm now looking for another shrub that is disease resistant.

Thanks for the help
Kathy

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