Root Rot

[summitlawncare]

Can anyone recommend a fungicide to help prevent root rot on japanese hollies?

[KACYDS]

The most common root rot of hollies is Phytophthora, causing root rot on hollies growing in very poorly drained sites or wet areas. Planting too deeply, overcrowding, overwatering and overmulching may also contribute to disease development. Hollies that are under stress are much more sensitive to root rot disease than are well-maintained, vigorous plants. The disease thrives in areas with poor drainage and warm soils. Always choose a location that has good drainage. The drainage of existing areas can be improved by using raised beds.

Fungicides can be effective on a preventative basis only, and repeat applications are required. Fungicides containing etridiazole (Banrot), aluminum tris (Aliette) and mefenoxam (Subdue) can be applied in the landscape. These chemicals do not completely eradicate the disease and must be reapplied on a regular basis to continue to suppress the disease.

The prevention of the disease by keeping the plant healthy is the best control.

Hopefully this helps.

[phasthound]

The most common root rot of hollies is Phytophthora, causing root rot on hollies growing in very poorly drained sites or wet areas. Planting too deeply, overcrowding, overwatering and overmulching may also contribute to disease development. Hollies that are under stress are much more sensitive to root rot disease than are well-maintained, vigorous plants. The disease thrives in areas with poor drainage and warm soils. Always choose a location that has good drainage. The drainage of existing areas can be improved by using raised beds.

Fungicides can be effective on a preventative basis only, and repeat applications are required. Fungicides containing etridiazole (Banrot), aluminum tris (Aliette) and mefenoxam (Subdue) can be applied in the landscape. These chemicals do not completely eradicate the disease and must be reapplied on a regular basis to continue to suppress the disease.

The prevention of the disease by keeping the plant healthy is the best control.

Hopefully this helps.

Excellent post!! Even if you are able to suppress the disease either with chemical or natural methods, the hollies will never reach their potential health & beauty.

Move the plants to a more suitable location and find another plant that is adapted to poor drainage. The first commandment of plant health care is "the right plant in the right place". The second is "healthy soils = healthy plants". It is much easier to maintain a beautiful landscape if these fundamental rules are followed.

Clients will recommend you more often if you keep the property looking good with proper care than if they always have to call you to put out fires.

[KACYDS]

Clients will recommend you more often if you keep the property looking good with proper care than if they always have to call you to put out fires.

You are correct. I wish my clients would not use their irrigation systems so much. That's my biggest headache. They believe if they spent all this money on irrigation, they have to run it everyday.
:hammerhead::cry::hammerhead:

[summitlawncare]

Thanks guys, I appreciate the advice. Just a note, I did not plant the hollies in question. the customer did it on their own. I designed and constructed a bed for them earlier this spring. I also take care of their turf (mow and treatments) and one week when I came to fert the yard they had the hollies planted around the perimeter of their back porch. THe back yard slopes down slightly towards the house, so that would explain the overwatering situation. It is however exteremely sandy soil. I will recommend that they relocate them to a different location. But if they are dead set on keeping them their I wanted to make sure I used the correct fungicide on them. Thanks again guys, I really appreciate it.

[PHS]

I wish my clients would not use their irrigation systems so much. That's my biggest headache. They believe if they spent all this money on irrigation, they have to run it everyday.

Same problem over here. Constantly fighting irrigation induced disease problems. I've really started jacking up the prices for fungicide drenches and I'm just going to keep raising them until customers scale back the water. Hopefully that will get their attention.

[KACYDS]

[QUOTE=PHS;2572208] I'm just going to keep raising them until customers scale back the water. Hopefully that will get their attention.[/QUOTE

Great point. What part of LA are you from?

[PHS]

Lafayette. Should've explained I'm raising prices for my landscape maintenance customers. Most normal pesticide use is included in the price of the service as are the drenches, but not when their use can be avoided by simply turning down the water (that's my new policy anyway).