News Article for May 18, 2009:

I have enjoyed that last cool snap. There were a few chores I still had left to do that were more comfortable to accomplish in the cooler weather.

While out looking over the azaleas at my house, I discovered azalea leaf gall. I have had it many times before, but I did not see any last year at my house. Since my discovery, I have seen it several other places.

Azalea leaf gall appears as a thickened, fleshy leaf or flower that can be light green to white or pink, depending on its stage. The leaf will look curled. This is a fungal disease that is unattractive. It tends to occur on the same plants from year to year because the spores mature and drop to the ground and are the source for next year’s galls.

There are a few commercial fungicides that can help, but they are hard to find and beyond the scope of most homeowners. The best method is to pick the galls off and place them in your trash can to go to the landfill. If you allow the galls to fall to the ground, you are just allowing the cycle to continue.

Another problem I have seen on azaleas is that of lace bugs. You can look at the leaves of the azaleas and see this white, frosted look on the leaves. The leaves appear stippled with lots of small white dots within in the green leaves, and if the damage gets bad enough, it will appear as white leaves with little chlorophyll left.

If you turn the leaves over you will see a lot of dark brown or black specks. This is another sign of lace bugs. Lace bugs live on the underside of the leaves and will suck the plant nutrients.

Use an insecticide such as Orthene or Malathion for control. There can be multiple generations of lace bugs, so keep up your guard.

Lace bugs are not limited to azaleas. If you have lantana, then you have lace bugs. On lantana the damages looks different than on azaleas. At the first of the growing season every year, my lantana will look like it is burnt. The tips of the leaves will appear tan, like they have been scorched. If left untreated, the leaves will all turn brown, and there is no flowering. The same control as for azaleas is effective. Usually within 10 days the lantana will be blooming.

I have seen the problem later in the year, but most years the worst infestation is this time of year just as the lantana should be blooming.

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Hydrangeas are in bloom. They are an early-summer-blooming shrub which makes them popular as a Mother’s Day gift.

The traditional hydrangeas are either pink or blue and sometimes both. They have the unique capacity to change flower color based on the soil pH.

If you want blue hydrangeas, then you need a more acid soil, and you should add about ½ cup of aluminum sulfate to the soil and do it again in about 6 months.

If, however, your hydrangeas are blue and you prefer pink, then you need a more alkaline soil. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of lime around each plant.

These color changes are not instant. You should expect to see the results in next year’s blooms.

For more information on these or related topics, contact Kenny at 225-686-3020.