Viburnum Disease - Ask Extension
I’d like your thought whether this shrub can be saved. I’ve tried epsom salts with no effect.
Knowledgebase
Viburnum Disease #802398
Asked July 21, 2022, 9:44 PM EDT
I’d like your thought whether this shrub can be saved. I’ve tried epsom salts with no effect.
Allegheny County Pennsylvania
Expert Response
Hello, and thank you for your question. First, it would be good to know your soil composition. Have you had it tested for nutrient levels and other information that a test result can give you? If not, that would be a good place to start. You can buy a test kit at any reputable garden center. Then, follow the directions found at https://extension.psu.edu/soil-testing
The Extension will recommend what nutrients to add to your soil. Epsom salts can be a benefit, but they should be used as a secondary supplement, not as the primary fertilizer.
From your photos, it appears that your viburnum has rust disease. From an outside source that promotes organic methods, here is information and treatments for rust:
Rust is more of a nuisance than a serious concern, but it can cause the viburnum to become vulnerable to more serious diseases and environmental factors.
1. Prune infected and damaged branches, leaves and stems from the plant with a pair of sharp pruning shears. Make cuts above the infected area cutting into healthy wood and sanitizing the shears with a diluted bleach mixture after each cut. Dispose of the infected plant matter in a garbage bag.
2. Thin the viburnum plant by removing dense foliage with sharp pruning shears. This allows for proper air circulation through the plant and for sunlight to penetrate the leaves. Sunlight and air circulation will encourage quicker leaf drying and help prevent fungal diseases.
3. Avoid overhead irrigation, which dampens the leaves and encourages spore germination. Water near the base of the viburnum during the early morning hours.
4. Prevent rust from attacking viburnum by spraying the entire plant with neem oil in the spring. Rake any plant debris that has fallen to the ground around the tree and dispose of promptly. Fallen plant matter provides the perfect hiding place for rust to overwinter.
5. Dissolve two 325-milligram uncoated aspirin tablets per quart of lukewarm water. Pour the mixture in aspray bottle and thoroughly coat both sides of the leaves and stems of the viburnum plant with the solution as an organic treatment for rust. Treat the viburnum a second time 7 days later. Apply a chemical fungicide -- such as neem oil -- if the aspirin treatment doesn't cure the rust.
I hope this information is helpful in bringing your viburnum back to good health.
Jeanne
The Extension will recommend what nutrients to add to your soil. Epsom salts can be a benefit, but they should be used as a secondary supplement, not as the primary fertilizer.
From your photos, it appears that your viburnum has rust disease. From an outside source that promotes organic methods, here is information and treatments for rust:
Rust is more of a nuisance than a serious concern, but it can cause the viburnum to become vulnerable to more serious diseases and environmental factors.
1. Prune infected and damaged branches, leaves and stems from the plant with a pair of sharp pruning shears. Make cuts above the infected area cutting into healthy wood and sanitizing the shears with a diluted bleach mixture after each cut. Dispose of the infected plant matter in a garbage bag.
2. Thin the viburnum plant by removing dense foliage with sharp pruning shears. This allows for proper air circulation through the plant and for sunlight to penetrate the leaves. Sunlight and air circulation will encourage quicker leaf drying and help prevent fungal diseases.
3. Avoid overhead irrigation, which dampens the leaves and encourages spore germination. Water near the base of the viburnum during the early morning hours.
4. Prevent rust from attacking viburnum by spraying the entire plant with neem oil in the spring. Rake any plant debris that has fallen to the ground around the tree and dispose of promptly. Fallen plant matter provides the perfect hiding place for rust to overwinter.
5. Dissolve two 325-milligram uncoated aspirin tablets per quart of lukewarm water. Pour the mixture in aspray bottle and thoroughly coat both sides of the leaves and stems of the viburnum plant with the solution as an organic treatment for rust. Treat the viburnum a second time 7 days later. Apply a chemical fungicide -- such as neem oil -- if the aspirin treatment doesn't cure the rust.
I hope this information is helpful in bringing your viburnum back to good health.
Jeanne
