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Frustrated with Anthracnose!
I planted my four hydrangeas last year. This year I noticed spots all over the leaves and came to realize that they are covered in anthracnose. I've tried cutting all the leaves with spots and spraying with fungicide and it just keeps creeping back and spreading.
I clean my sheers with bleach water between each plant and a lot of the time I just pinch the leaves off with my fingers. Also, I never water the plant itself, I always base water. The only time the leaves get wet is when we occasionally have rain (which this year has not been often)!
From what I've read, it's pretty hard to get rid of. Has anyone dealt with this before and have any advice on a product I should use or a trimming solution that might work better than what I've been doing? I've worked so hard on them and don't want to lose one.
Re: Frustrated with Anthracnose!
You said you came to realize the spots were caused by anthracnose- how do you know this is the cause? Anthracnose is not very common in hydrangeas, but over fertilizing may make them more susceptible; maybe it's cercospora (more common)? Did you send samples to a lab for analysis?
I don't know where you live, but it may be too warm for anthracnose. I'm kinda fuzzy on the temps it likes, and I may be wrong about this, but I thought it was a spring fungus (when it's cool and wet at night). If I weren't so tired I'd investigate that.
You cultural practices are great, what fungide are you applying and how frequently?
Well, you could be totally right...I have not sent samples in for analysis. I've done tons of research though and all the pictures and all the descriptions I've read are pretty much dead on to what I'm seeing on mine.
I've fertilized once this year, a few weeks ago, with hollytone. I've put out an acidifier to help with color about 3 times since the beginning of March.
I've been using Daconil Fungicide. I've used it 3 times now, every 7 days like the label suggests. It covers a range of fungi and anthracnose is one listed. Even though I have cut all the leaves with spots and sprayed numerous times, it doesn't seem to be getting any better. I don't understand it. Even some of the new brand growth is starting to get spots now.
BTW...we live in the Low Country. So, we started getting "hot" weather about a month ago. Still in the low 80's to high 70's at night.
It's really tough to tell one fungal spot from another visually. Be careful. Plant pathologists always have stories about surpise lab results, when what they thought they were dealing with turned out to be something else.
Anthracnose isn't one fungus, it's a group of fungi that proliferate in cool, wet conditions, I believe in the 65-75f range. You're a bit warmer than that, which doesn't rule out anthracnose, but it does lessen the likelihood.
Your cultural handling sounds good, but you should sterilize between every cut for best control (I know, it's a huge headache, but you should).
Here is some info that may be of help to you (great photos too):
http://www.aces.edu/pubs/docs/A/ANR-1212/ANR-1212.pdf
Good luck with this. I love my hydrangeas too. I'm sure you're heartbroken, especially this time of year.