Lots of customers are bringing in plant samples for a diagnose and treatment. Others are considering replacing plants that seem dead or dying. We encourage you to take the following steps:
Yes, bring in a sample! Chances are, the plants here are looking a lot like the plants at your house. We had a late frost that caused physical damage to leaves and flower buds of many plants. That damage was apparent immediately after the frost, and we are still seeing the effects of it. The frost caused damage that could allow fungus and bacteria into the leaf. The constant moisture has created the perfect environment for disease and fungus to spread. While your plants may not be looking their best, the good news is that they will likely be fine. There is really no action for you to take, other than cleaning up the debris and bagging it up. Don’t compost these leaves. Your plants may naturally shed their leaves and then send out new ones. These are all natural conditions that O’Donal’s has no control over. Do not dig up the plant and bring it in. Bring in a sample first. If you are unable to make the trip here, send us a picture with: the name of the plant, date it was planted, and a description of what’s going on. Plants are not guaranteed against extremes in weather, nor insect or disease damage. View our guarantee here.
Send a sample to the Maine Cooperative Extension
Clethra
Hydrangea macrophylla
These 2 plants are showing the leaf disturbance caused by the late frost. The leaves may also have secondary infections of fungus or bacteria. We can’t be certain. However, notice the new growth above the brown and spotted leaves. The new growth is healthy, and the Hydrangea even has some flower buds. The brown leaves may fall off on their own, or you can remove them, but do not compost them. These two sample plants should recover and look great in a few weeks.
