Return to the Professional Gardener Forum
| Post a Follow-Up
liriope crown rot
| | |
Posted by rachel_z6 7 (My Page) on Sun, Sep 28, 08 at 11:25
| I have two sites with very unhappy liriope and sadly it took me too long to diagnose the problem. One site the homeowner routinely overwaters despite my recommendations and the other site is commercial, dry, windy, hot and very exposed. They have no irrigation (I hand water with treated well water). The problem is worse at the commercial site, and originally I thought browning of the leaves was due to lack of water, so I babied them more this year and the problem is still the same. The liriope (Big Blue) is up against concrete in really crappy soil (I didn't do the installation), we've had a lot of drought, and the tips would go pale, then the blade, then the whole thing would go brown. Crown rot usually progresses the other way, but these crowns ARE rotten and it really doesn't look like anthracnose. The rhizomes still produce new plants but 95% of them turn brown within 2-3 weeks. A different area of this property has massive amounts of Liriope spicata which has thrived until this last week when I noticed one or two plants with rot.
Everything I've read is less than optimistic about getting rid of the fungus, so I'm looking for experiential advice. Soil soaks, organic products, non organic products, kitchen sink concoctions or whatever. Replacing the plants will do nothing if the fungus is still in the soil for several years.
Thanks for your help. |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: liriope crown rot
| | |
| I use sulfur powder mixed into the soil it is a excelent anti-fungal & long acting (several years) it will lower the pH (make more acid) so may have to add some lime later. |
RE: liriope crown rot
| | |
RE: liriope crown rot
| | |
| Don't worry about changing the soil pH very quickly by adding small amounts of elemental sulphur to control crown rot. It takes pounds of elemental sulphur applied over several years to develop a measurable pH change. |
RE: liriope crown rot
| | |
| well, I wasn't too worried anyway, because liriope tolerates such a wide pH range, and the only other plants in there are nandina and azleas. but good to go on the record anyway--archived posts are helpful to many! |
|
|
|
|
