fungus infestation of ground cover - Ask Extension
Please help. My front yard is creeping jenny with small patches of strawberries. I am battling a fungus. In 2020 I replaced a weed patch with creep...
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fungus infestation of ground cover #768509
Asked August 21, 2021, 10:05 PM EDT
Please help. My front yard is creeping jenny with small patches of strawberries. I am battling a fungus. In 2020 I replaced a weed patch with creeping jenny. It quickly spread and became lush. This spring it returned vigorous and thick. In 2020 I had 3 platter-sized brown patches that I removed and treated with Bomide Copper Fungicide. This summer I get many and frequent brown circles, which I replace with smaller creeping jenny plants and heavily mulch. In May, June, July I aggressively watered because of the drought but then thought that moisture was feeding the fungus. Starting in August I water very conservatively. In 2020 we heavily mulched the front yard. Now I think that mulch is feeding the fungus so today I removed as much mulch as I could. I continue to spray Bomide Copper Fungicide when I see an outbreak. My front door faces west and the yard gets lots of sun in late morning and early afternoon. A large maple in the parkway provides shade in the afternoon. It seems like the sunniest spots are most affected by the fungus.
I hope you can help me save my yard. The creeping jenny is incredibly attractive and also incredibly effective in weed control. I don't want to return to high-maintenance grass. Thank you for your attention.
Hennepin CountyMinnesota
Expert Response
Your creeping jenny may have southern blight, caused by a combination of high temperatures and moisture. It creates a fungus that erodes the stems. This fungus can stay in the soil for years. The disease needs warm, humid, moist conditions. Cooler temps will slow the growth, but it then will come back next year. Another blight, such as Septoria leaf spot or Rhizoctonia spot, may instead be the culprit. The high temperatures combined with lots of watering likely led to the problem.
Unfortunately, there is no fungicide available to homeowners to control southern blight. The best way to deal with the problem is to dig up dead plants and the top 2 inches of soil and dispose of them.
Then turn the soil so that the top surface is buried several inches deep. This should effectively bury the fungus. Add new soil and replant. Water only occasionally and make sure the soil is draining well. Good luck. Creeping Jenny is indeed lovely, so we hope you’re able to resurrect your groundcover.
Thank you for your prompt reply and information. It at least gives me some hope that all is not lost -- yet. I'll replace the soil there and cross my fingers.
We are blessed to have this great extension. I constantly consult the website and this feature.
Take care,
- Stuart Iseminger
---------- Original Message ---------- From: "Ask Extension" <<personal data hidden>> To: "Stuart Iseminger" <<personal data hidden>> Subject: Re: fungus infestation of ground cover (#0038440) Date: Mon, 23 Aug 2021 18:36:51 +0000
I reached out to you 2 years ago and you replied that southern blight was attacking my creeping jenny which I use as ground cover for my entire front yard. After 3 years of battling this fungus, I am giving up the good fight. I'm sad because it looked beautiful when it was healthy.
I have a new question. I think I will leave whatever creeping jenny survives. I want to use a different chartreuse/yellow groundcover. I am considering (Sedum rupestre 'Angelina'). My question is will southern blight attack WHATEVER I plant -- or is creeping jenny especially vulnerable?
I wonder if I need to remove and replace the top of my yard which sounds expensive. Thank you for your assistance and keep up the good work.
---------- Original Message ---------- From: "Stuart Iseminger" <<personal data hidden>> To: <personal data hidden> Subject: Re: fungus infestation of ground cover (#0038440) Date: Mon, 23 Aug 2021 19:34:12 GMT
Dear Master Gardener,
Thank you for your prompt reply and information. It at least gives me some hope that all is not lost -- yet. I'll replace the soil there and cross my fingers.
We are blessed to have this great extension. I constantly consult the website and this feature.
Take care,
- Stuart Iseminger
---------- Original Message ---------- From: "Ask Extension" <<personal data hidden>> To: "Stuart Iseminger" <<personal data hidden>> Subject: Re: fungus infestation of ground cover (#0038440) Date: Mon, 23 Aug 2021 18:36:51 +0000
