Comments on: doodle by andre: paranoia strikes deep

By: Margaret

Margaret — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 14:22:28 +0000

Welcome, Harriet. So many issues with long-needled pines the last decade or so…good topic for a story here on the blog, I guess. I have lost many species to various insects and other pathogens. Is your spot sunny, is it dry or moist, and where are you climate-wise?

By: harriet

harriet — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 14:03:02 +0000

So happy to learn about the Mugo virus. Our Mugo’s have been in for 25 pluis years and are starting to die. Frankly I don’t like them much but they were a great screen for our cement foundation. Any thoughts as to what to plant would be appreciated. Harriet

By: Bobstere

Bobstere — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 03:03:50 +0000

Andre, I’ll bet Margaret can hook you up with some chipmunk & weasel carcasses to leave on your neighbours doorsteps! It’d be a ‘Godfather’ move in a very gardening sort of way! I say go for it.

And who knows, perhaps ‘Ruby Stars’ will be appeased by the offering and rebound next year!

By: dennis r

dennis r — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 13:50:04 +0000

R.I.P.

Tiger Eyes Sumac

June 2009 ~ November 2009

“too young, too frail, too soon”

By: Margaret

Margaret — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 13:10:24 +0000

Welcome, Liz. So sorry about your trees. Could be various things, including the fungus called verticillium wilt (read about it in technical detail here). Sudden and otherwise unexplained death or dieback such as you describe is often attributed to verticillium, and maples are one of the susceptible species. The branches suddenly go but what's really happened is that the roots were infected and it is finally showing up top. However, you say "young" trees and if that means recently planted there could also be problems adjusting (were they overfed; watered too much or too little; was there extreme weather of some kind, etc.).