For leveling I would just add top soil to the barespots that need built up (making sure to compact it somewhat, I just walk over every square inch) and re-seed it at the same time. That's what I do for my tall fescue lawn. You need to get your watering cut down too, at best you only want to water 1-2 times a week max...long deep watering for those roots to grow downward and get established well. Just gradually start to increase your watering time (until it starts to pool or run-off) and start to skip watering days until you're at 1-2 times per week.

There is a common term "squirrely" and a few years ago I learned where it comes from. This spring also. I have a large Grecian urn as a feature in my new garden under a Black Walnut tree. I watched a squirrely squirrel jump from the urn to my Krossa Regal and back over and over again until my hosta was flattened. It was enjoying itself until I unleashed my German Shorthaired Pointer on it. They love bombing my things with walnuts, but I have never seen them eat a hosta. What they do is when they smell recently disturbed dirt they dig looking for burried nuts so they might uproot newly planted hostas. I wonder if some pressed garlic will discourage this? Les

"Sulfur would be my second choice b'c it just isn't as effective." Carolyn, I have never heard this before--do you have a source? I always see sulfur listed as a primary control on various university sites. I always consider it first when I think of powdery mildew. Ray, I would not consider sulfur against septoria or early blight so if you are trying to prevent these diseases as well as powdery mildew you could use Daconil (unless you want to say you are growing organically). For the treatment of PM alone sulfur is considered an effective option. Follow label as per temperature restrictions. You would want to use other fungicides for other diseases but it is a good idea to alternate anyway. Here is a 1998 study by the Univ. of Conn. that evaluated 5 fungicides for controlling PM. Sulfur was considered superior over Daconil (Bravo) (chlorothalonil). ""We recently evaluated the efficacy of five fungicides for control of powdery mildew under field conditions in Windsor, CT. On 2 Jun, 1998, five plants of Celebrity tomato were transplanted per plot to each of 5 replicate field plots in 3 rows 5 ft apart with 2 ft between plants in each plot. Two additional untreated border rows were planted to act as a source of inoculum. Plants were staked and tied but not pruned or suckered. Tomato plots were left unsprayed or treated with either sulfur (Kumulus, 15 lb/A), benomyl (Benlate®, 12 oz/A), chlorothalonil (Bravo®, 1.5 lb/A), copper hydroxide (Kocide®, 2 lb/A), or azoxystrobin (Quadris®, 5.6 fl. oz/A) on 24 Jul, 7 Aug, 20 Aug, and 4 Sep. Plants were evaluated for percent foliage with powdery mildew on 10 Aug, 31 Aug, and 10 Sep. Ripening tomatoes were harvested from plots on 25 Aug, 3 Sep. 10 Sep, and 17 Sep. Data were analyzed by the nonparametric Kruskal-Wallis analysis at P=0.05. Severe powdery mildew developed in the border plants and spread to the field plots (Table 1). Other foliar diseases, such as Septoria and Alternaria leaf spots, were low in incidence and not seen in the field plots or borders until late in the season. All fungicides evaluated resulted in less powdery mildew than developed in untreated control plots. Sulfur and Benlate® had superior efficacy early in the season, and Benlate® and Quadris® were superior at the late evaluation. Bravo® and Kocide® were intermediate in efficacy. While the trend was for lower yield in unsprayed plots, there were no significant differences in fruit yield as a result of the late season powdery mildew that developed in these experiments."" Here is another link that discusses the use of sulfur against PM (LT). http://utahpests.usu.edu/plantdiseases/files/uploads/PestMonitoring/tomato_powdery_mildew.pdf Ray, I would definately treat this early to try and stop its progression. Advanced cases are very hard to control no matter what you use. THis would be an opportunity to experiment with Serenade --using it preventatively on some of the plants that don't have it as it doesn't seem to be all that effective controlling existing disease. Sulfur , or whatever you choose on other plants. Then compare the results. Your plants are very close together so you will have to keep on your toes combatting this. Good luck.

Hi Embothrium, I did. I found hundreds of images and some looked somewhat similar and some looked different. That was the main reason why I decided to post this question here. I know a lot about figs but I am not that knowledgeable about plums or other stone fruit trees. I know that young trees on Citation rootstock are susceptible to this disease. It was another clue. However, I do not know. I hope it is not bacterial canker. I like this tree. It has a nice shape and produced great fruits last year and is blooming now. However, I also have a very young multi-bud pluot tree nearby and I do not want that one to get sick too.