Question
I have four dogwood shrubs in my backyard.  The stems of the shrubs are
turning black and the leaves are turning brown and drying out.  Could this be a
fungus or an insect?  What should I do?

Answer
Rachael,

There are several twig blights that effect dogwoods. Unfortuately, there is no fungicide that will control this disease. The best recommendation I can give is to prune off the effected branches, keep the plant well watered during the summer and fertilize in the fall.

Good luck,
Ed Gulliksen