
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, June 6, 1990                   TAG: 9006060028
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV-8   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: Philip K. Blevins
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

DOGWOOD DISEASE TREATABLE

The native dogwood, Cornus Florida, is one of out most popular landscape trees, and publicity on dogwood anthracnose has caused a lot of alarm - and rightly so, to a degree.

This serious fungal disease is life-threatening to dogwoods, but more so to wild ones.

The first symptoms are small, purple-bordered or larger tan blotches on leaf edges. Spots may enlarge and kill leaves.

They can move to twigs or the main stem, and twigs can be killed back to the main stem. Dead portions of twigs are tan and may be covered with grayish orange spores. Also, a purple border may exist between dead and healthy twig tissue.

If the fungus moves to the main stem, brown elliptical cankers will form at the base of the dead branches. Cankers may circle branches or the entire tree causing death.

This disease should not be confused with spot anthracnose which normally is not fatal. If you suspect dogwood anthracnose, bring a sample to our office.

To help control the disease:

Buy only healthy trees (Chinese dogwood shows resistance).

Prune dead limbs and avoid high-nitrogen fertilizers.

Water trees during drought.

Rake and destroy leaves.

Thin nearby shrubs to increase airflow around the tree.

It may be necessary to spray fungicides. Apply three or four sprays at 14- to 20-day intervals during leaf expansion and later in the season, if conditions for disease are favorable.

Cool, wet weather is what the disease likes, so be on the lookout.

Cure for thin pastures

It's too late to renovate pastures with orchard grass, clover or fescue, but don't neglect thin pastures. Foxtail millet can provide high-quality hay until a desirable clover mix can be sown in the fall.

Here's a renovation scheme:

Kill off the pasture in mid-June with paraquat.

Sod drill 25-30 pounds per acre of foxtail millet.

When the millet is ready (near Sept. 1), harvest as hay.

Sod drill 12 pounds per acre of orchard grass as soon as hay is off.

In February or March 1991, over-seed grass with 5 pounds red clover and 1 1/2 pounds ladino clover

by CNB