1756 gardening Q&A from A Way to Garden en-US Wed, 22 May 2013 06:31:42 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 q http://awaytogarden.com/forum/search.php http://awaytogarden.com/forum/topic.php?id=562#post-1678 Sat, 01 May 2010 09:55:58 +0000 msfreund 1678@http://awaytogarden.com/forum/ <p>Thanks Leslie, I'll try removing diseased branches and see if I can save them! </p> http://awaytogarden.com/forum/topic.php?id=562#post-1676 Thu, 29 Apr 2010 22:44:43 +0000 Leslie 1676@http://awaytogarden.com/forum/ <p>It sounds to me like it might be <a href="http://urbanext.illinois.edu/ShrubSelector/detail_problem.cfm?PathogenID=49">twig blight (canker)</a>. This can be controlled through cultural practices: Carefully clean up dead leaves in the fall so that the disease cannot overwinter. When removing the diseased branches dispose of them rather than compost. Pruning twig dogwoods properly will make a difference in controlling twig blight. There are two methods for pruning twig dogwoods, Rejuvenation every 3 years or thinning by 1/3 every year, cutting out the oldest wood. Margaret follows the <a href="http://awaytogarden.com/pruning-roundup-what-shrubs-i-prune-when">rejuvenation method</a>. For more details and illustrations about both methods check out this <a href="http://cmg.colostate.edu/gardennotes/619.pdf">CO State fact sheet</a>, page 5 for thinning and pages 5 &amp; 6 for rejuvenation. Regardless of which method you decide to adopt later, I would try a rejuvenation pruning now to see if you can save the shrubs. Since the fungus can travel on the blades of your pruners, make sure that you disinfect them between cuts! </p> http://awaytogarden.com/forum/topic.php?id=562#post-1666 Wed, 28 Apr 2010 14:34:05 +0000 msfreund 1666@http://awaytogarden.com/forum/ <p>I have about 10 red twig dogwood shrubs all around my house that were planted 5 years ago and up to last summer did beautifully. But this year, the majority of them have experienced major die-back (75% of branches appear to be dead) and 2 or 3 of them seem to have died entirely! The remaining shrubs have sparse leaves near the tops of the branches. Over the years, I have minimally pruned them, fed them some organic fertilizer and mulched with chopped leaves or hardwood mulch. What's going on? It looks like I may lose a 20' run of them alongside the eastern wall of my home. </p>