Category: Disease and Pathogens
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Aster Yellows
I recently realized that all of my echinacea was infected with aster yellows. An odd-sounding bacterial(ish) disease spread by leaf hoppers! (And even more frustrating, the name is inexplicably plural). The bacterium causes the flower petals to lose their color and turn from pink to green. This greening is very…
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Powdery Mildew on My Roses
It was early May. My roses were starting to wake up and start unfurling. I was excited to see the aphid clusters relocate, but that infestation was soon replaced with powdery mildew. Washing off the leaves with a sharp stream of water didn’t seem to have any effect. I cut…
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How to Prevent Rust on Your Hollyhocks
I love hollyhocks, cheerleader pom poms, scaffolding of the garden. But I admit they do make me think of that Absolutely Fabulous episode when Eddie says to Saffy… “I hate those flowers. Those. Those flowers there. They’re too English. It’s about simplicity and sort of Japanese efficiency. The land where…
Heart of the Garden 