Ornamental & Tree Diseases
Unfortunately, I don't know much about protecting my shade trees and other woody ornamentals from diseases, but I'm willing to read and learn more. Could you please tell me something about the microorganisms which cause plant health problems?
Wow! You really are a dedicated gardener. But if you become more familiar with the fungi, bacteria, nematodes, viruses, and similar agents which could attack your landscape plants, chances are your plant disease control efforts will be more successful. As a good starting point in your educational program, begin with a Plant Pathology Infobyte entitled Plant Diseases and the Microbes That Cause Them. Obviously, you won't find all you need to know in this one document, so look through additional Infobytes for issues which deal with specific plant disease microbes. Next, visit your local County Extension Office. You'll find loads of literature on plant diseases and their causes -- and the publications are free. Also, cruise around the World Wide Web. Select your favorite search engine, and enter a few key words (e.g., plant diseases AND fungi); you'll find a lot of locations to visit. Or, please feel free to email this site any time you have questions.