Leaf disease returns - Pictures attached

13 years ago

Let me preface this by saying I have a container garden on my roof. Last year I brought a new "self-pollinating sweet sensation august plum tree" from Lowe's into my garden and I believe I'm living to regret it.

It had some leaf disease that caused the leaves to get shot holes in them and wither up.

I treated it with everything natural and clipped it back, but I think it started to spread to a pear tree nearby.

After much investigation into every possible

cause and a season full of nothing but removing leaves and clipping off branches, I finally came up with bacterial leaf disease. I was advised to spray it with agrimycin this spring before and during leafing out ... which I have done.

However, the leaves are coming out deformed and the pear tree is showing signs of it too. I'm thinking I should just get the tree out of the garden...but would like to make one last effort to find a solution to the problem...I am attaching picture of the new leaves from the plum tree that have been emerging...any insights would be appreciated....can it be saved or is it just a threat to the rest of the garden.

Image link:

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Comments (8)

jean001a
13 years ago
First, it's useful to know that plums and pears don't have the same diseases.

If you could, please post close-up and mid-range images of the leaves (of both trees) but still on the branch.

You also need to know that in many regions, fruit trees require a commitment of the gardener to keep them healthy, applying dormant sprays and more at the appropriate times.

At least that's what occurs in my region.

Then, too, it's helpful to learn which fruits do best in your own region. In this instance, you'll need to ask questions of the larger independent garden centers in your area. Not the big box stores.
rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
13 years ago
missmini, are you thinking that your plum has fireblight? That would be possible, though this bacterial disease is pretty uncommon on plums to my knowledge, even though the plants are in the same family. And what you've shown us of the foliage doesn't really jive with fireblight symptoms.
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missminni
Original Author
13 years ago
Hi rhizo - happy spring
no, I don't think it's fireblight although last season, one of my trees - one that grew wild on it's own and I'm not sure what it is - definitely looked like it had fire blight
in August. Burned out branches that curled at the ends etc. I cut it back accordingly and so far, this season, that particular tree looks fine and the new leaves look healthy.
It's only this plum tree that is exhibiting deformed and discolored leaves. The pear tree has a few deformed leaves...not many...but it is the tree closest to the plum.
I wanted to upload a picture of the pear leaf, but they only allowed one picture upload. You can see pictures of
the Pear leaves here:
http://www.mihaus.com/images/PearTreeLeaf.jpg
http://www.mihaus.com/images/PearTreeLeaves.jpg
Although it doesn't look like the same issue that the plum tree has, I am concerned since they were so close to each other.
Jean, thanks for your response. I'm certainly no expert by any means but I've read that there are a few diseases they can share, so I'm concerned. I've been spraying diligently with agrimycin for the past few weeks, and just yesterday I started to spray with neem oil.
Since I posted yesterday I decided to just get rid of the plum tree since it's been a problem from the day I bought it and before the weather gets any warmer and the rain and humidity pass the disease around I'm going to remove it
from the roof.
Now my big concern is my Pear tree. Please take a look at the pictures. Thanks

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:1151228}}
missminni
Original Author
13 years ago
I went on the roof this morning and noticed that my magnolia and rhododendron were also affected by the leaf disease.
I don't know how I missed it.
I took pictures that can be seen here:
http://www.mihaus.com/Leaf_disease.html

please take a look...I'm very concerned

Here is a link that might be useful: leaf disease pictures
Dan _Staley (5b Sunset 2B AHS 7)
13 years ago
WEll, quick peek shows what may be a sucking insect, a fungus and nutritional deficiency, from here using advanced distance diagnosis techniques ( ;o) ).

What is your fert regime and when is the last time you repotted? Have you applied hi-N fert recently?

Dan
Dan _Staley (5b Sunset 2B AHS 7)
13 years ago
WEll, quick peek shows what may be a sucking insect, a fungus and nutritional deficiency, from here using advanced distance diagnosis techniques ( ;o) ).

What is your fert regime and when is the last time you repotted? Have you applied hi-N fert recently?

Dan
jean001a
13 years ago
With so many different plants having problems, I'd suspect a non-living cause -- environmental or cultural.

What are you using for the container mix?
And what are you using for fertilizer?

And some of the leaf distortion could be due to cold while the leaves were expanding.
missminni
Original Author
13 years ago
Hi Dan
I re-potted those plants last season. I didn't really start to apply any fertilizer until this past week...granular slow release, and not much and it wasn't high N. And my soil is a nice potting mix that's light and well draining.

Jean - I think you nailed it....
What I now realize is we had one of the longest, coldest, snowiest winters I can recall.
The roof was covered in over 3 feet of snow for at least two months and the planters were buried in it.

Then in March and April we had a couple of frosts and snow after those particular trees blossomed.
My service berry leafed out prior to the frost and although it doesn't exhibit any leaf damage, the leaves are tiny.
My apricot tree blossomed before as well. The leaves are just coming in now but haven't opened yet. Keeping my fingers crossed. My roses leafed out prior as well, but are doing fine.
Thanks for your suggestion. I was missing the obvious.