Horticulture News

DATE: June 24, 2008

HARDIN COUNTY COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SERVICE
201 Peterson Drive
Elizabethtown, Kentucky 42701-9370

BY: Amy Aldenderfer
County Extension Agent for Horticulture

Summer Update...

All the recent rainfall has stimulated many mushrooms to sprout in the lawn or mulch beds.  These mushrooms, often called toadstools, don’t do any damage.  In fact, they can enhance the growth of plants by releasing nitrogen in to the soil from decomposing organic matter.

If left alone they will disappear in a few weeks.  Generally, toadstools that spring up in the lawn should NOT be eaten, as some are poisonous.
The toadstools are temporary reproductive bodies of certain fungi.  These fungi live year-round in the soil where they decompose dead organic matter such as thatch and dead leaf blades.  They are not parasitic on lawn grasses. 

If you want to remove them, they can be mowed easily with the next grass cutting.  It does not hurt to leave then scattered on the lawn.
Maple Bladder Galls occurring on red and silver maples.  They are irregular, spherical growths that are usually found on the upper surfaces of the leaves.  These hollow, purple-green to red structures are attached to the leaves by short stems.  Large numbers can cause infested leaves to cup and drop prematurely.  The single mite inside each gall feeds and lays eggs.  Activity usually ends in July.  Chemical controls are usually not necessary.

Spot anthracnose may be showing up on dogwoods.  This fungus causes spotting of the flowers, leaves, stems and fruit.  Spots on the leaves appear as circular to angular dark purple areas usually less than 1/25 inch in diameter.  Diseased tissue often drops out leaving holes or ragged edges.  Severely infected leaves may be reduced in size or killed.

If the disease has been severe the previous year and the specimen is valuable, fungicide applications in the spring may prevent disease.  Spot anthracnose should not be confused with the Dogwood Anthracnose that causes leaf spots, stem cankers and kills entire shoots or branches.

Blossom end rot of tomato may appear as dry weather returns.  It is caused by a calcium deficiency in the fruit during the developing stages.  While it is most common in tomatoes it can also affect peppers.

A small spot appears on the end of the fruit and develops into a dark brown area.  If nothing is done this can lead to 100% crop loss.

Stress from lack of moisture is the main causal agent.  Late June and early July are the peak times for blossom end rot to occur.  Mulching plants to maintain a uniform moisture level is the most practical method for the home grower.

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