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Rocky Mountain Gardening

Dying columbines

18 years ago

Hope somebody has a clue about this, cause I ain't seen it before:

On several perennials (columbines, dianthus, campanula, etc.) something seems to be chewing the root crowns just below soil surface. When I manage to pull up more soil around these spots the plants seem to do a little better, but a lot of them have gone terminal.

Is this a rot, or some pest I need to hunt? (so far, haven't seen any worms or bugs in the crime scene). And what's the solution, if any?

thanks folks,

Dutch

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Comments (8)

david52 Zone 6
18 years ago
Dutch, I'm losing all kinds of dianthus this summer also, and I thought it was lack of water, but that didn't seem to help. So its not just you.
bozogardener
18 years ago
I hope someone has an answer on this one. I have had a number of columbines die this summer. I pull up on the stalks and the whole plant comes up at the crown. Everything else is fine. I've never lost them before like this.
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funky_dutch
Original Author
18 years ago
Well I've asked around at my local nurseries, and nobody there seems to know what's up either. The best guess seems to be that it's some kind of mold or fungus, though I've never seen these kinds of perennials hit in this way before.

One gardener suggested to me that the greater precipitation last winter may have (ironically) created a certain weakness in these plants. Anyway I'm gonna try some hydro-peroxide and reduced watering to see if that helps.
anitamo
18 years ago
This is an old post, so you've probably found a solution. But I just wanted to bring it to your attention that one cause for disappearing roots is voles. Do a search on them, and you'll find a ton of info. on what they are and the damage they cause.
jant
18 years ago
Hi there.....I used to be on this forum when I lived in Denver, but moved back home to Mass last summer. I experienced this just once 4 yrs ago with a nepeta and some columbines.....if you dig down a bit, I think you're going to find some of those "rolly poly" bugs, lol. Sorry, don't know the "real name". I sprinkled some of the new version of Diazanon granular insect control, cut back the plants and they were fine from then on.

Never realized those guys did such damage!
dripdrip
15 years ago
I'm replying to a very old post, but I (may) have a similar problem.

Some of the tips of my columbine (first year in ground) appear to have a mold on them. They aren't looking good. Its a shady area that does not get a lot of sun or water. I can water it more if need be.

Thanks for any advice.
Skybird - z5, Denver, Colorado
15 years ago
Hi Drip,

Is the problem you have with the growth tips of the plants, or down at the roots or crown of the plant? What does the "mold" look like--color especially? And is it on the leaves, stems, flowers, all over? And where do you live? Are you out here in the high, dry west, or back east somewhere with high humidity and lots of moisture?

Try to describe more fully what's going on---post a pic if possible, and maybe we can try to help you.

Skybird
digit
15 years ago
It seems a little odd responding to this. I probably wasn't reading the RMG forum messages as early as July of o5. However, I've had experiences similar to what Dutch reports - a few of my columbines have just dropped over dead after being severed from their roots.

I've blamed garden symphylans and think that may be a correct diagnosis of this now and then problem. I always forget the name but after searching for this centipede relative, I came up with this info from Oregon State.

They also chew on brassicas and just about everything else, now and then.

digitS'

Here is a link that might be useful: Garden symphylans are mysterious pests

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