Large, colorful flowers are the adornment of every hydrangea. However, when these are framed by stained leaves, the sight makes anyone who sees them sad. Not only that! The plant has been conquered by a treacherous fungal pathogen and urgently needs our help.
How do you recognize and combat leaf spot on hydrangeas?
Leaf spot disease in hydrangeas is manifested by yellow-discolored leaves with dark spots and brown centers. Affected plant parts should be removed, fallen leaves picked up and the soil kept fungus-free. Preventive measures include needs-based fertilization, thinning and targeted irrigation.
Leaf spot disease: the symptoms
The leaf spot fungi cause visible changes to the leaves of the hydrangea.
- Foliage turns yellow
- Leaves are covered with spots of different sizes
- these are dark colored
- all spots have a brown center
The disease progresses in such a way that the leaf tissue initially thins out or tears as it continues to grow. Eventually the affected leaves fall off completely.
Fighting infection with scissors
A frequently recommended measure for fungal infections on plants in private gardens is to cut away the affected parts of the plant. In the case of a hydrangea with leaf spots, this is actually the only measure if you don't want to resort to chemicals. Unfortunately, home remedies don't have much effect.
- remove all affected parts promptly
- do not put it in the compost, fungus can survive for a long time
- Dispose of plant clippings in residual waste
- Disinfect cutting tools
Tip
Increase the resistance of your hydrangea by giving it organic plant strengtheners (€83.00 on Amazon) after pruning.
Keep the soil fungus-free
Leaves that have already fallen should not be overlooked during the rescue operation. They are carriers of live fungal spores that can lead to a new infection in neighboring plants at any time. Leaf spot disease, for example, is also often observed on cucumbers and camellias.
Tip
It is best to wear disposable gloves when collecting or wash your hands thoroughly afterwards so that you do not become a carrier of infection yourself.
Severe infestation
If your hydrangea suffers from severe leaf spot, you must remove it from the garden immediately to avoid infecting other plants. If you don't want to give up on the hydrangea, you may need to quickly resort to a fungicide.
Prevent leaf spot disease
Leaf spot disease usually occurs when the plant suffers from a nutrient deficiency and there is high humidity at the same time. A large part of the preventive measures can be derived from this:
- fertilize better and as needed
- light out regularly so that leaves dry well
- Avoid too dense plants
- water only over roots
- Make sure tools are disinfected when cutting
