Wet Weather Woes: Hydrangea Leaf Spot, Oakleaf Wilt, Mushrooms, Mosquitoes

Record May rainfall brings specific problems:

Cercospora Leaf Spot on Hydrangeas

Purple spots with brown centers. Usually tolerable, but early onset warrants fungicide: myclobutanil (Immunox) or mancozeb. Avoid overhead watering.

Oakleaf Hydrangea Wilt

Armillaria root rot causes sudden wilting; poor drainage is the culprit. If <50% affected, remove dead limbs, amend soil with conditioner, replant. Voles can also girdle stems—check base.

Mushrooms

Fruiting bodies of fungi feeding on drought-killed roots. Often appear in lines following roots. Stinkhorns attract flies with rotten-meat odor—harmless, fascinating, remove if smell bothers.

Mosquitoes

Propane traps catch many but miss Asian tiger mosquitoes. Keep DEET repellent handy around the yard.

As summer dries, these issues will fade—until drought damage appears.