Mid-Atlantic Gardening: summer time bug and disease control, 5 by Gitagal
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In reply to: summer time bug and disease control
Forum: Mid-Atlantic Gardening
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Gitagal wrote: Karen-- Several years ago-my Camellia started getting blotchy/yellowish leaves which, sort of, developed during the winter, and ONLY on the previous years growth (now woody), not on last season's growth. In spring--after the blooming--these affected leaves would slowly fall off. When this was happening for the 3rd spring again, I sought help from Mike Quinn in GA. He had always been my go-to Guy when it comes to Camellias. He thought it was some kind of a Fungus. The blooms also seemed to be affected. He told me to cut the whole shrub back--down to about 12". EGADS!!! MY Camellia???? I would cut back as much as I dared--send him a picture--and he'd say "MORE!".. So, with great trepidation I cut more and he was finally satisfied with my hack-job. I was worried it would not grow back--but it did, and in a couple years, it was almost 5' tall again. I have not seen much of the leaf-yellowing since--but this past year--there have been some. Not much. I am picking all the affected leaves off as I see them. This spring it bloomed beautifully and the new growth has been lush green. Some of the yellowing leaves still crop up here and there--but overall--it is OK. Here will be some pictures of the sick leaves--(2009) the hack job--and the re-growing bush. And also how it looks today--all green. Some of the bare-stemmed look is mostly because all the leaves, from the previous year- had fallen off, as I said above. |