[Arid_gardener] RE: Photinia

[Christine M. Bahto]

ORIGINAL QUESTION:
Date: Thu, 6 Jul 2006 08:20:26 -0700 (MST)
From: irene at stein-cox.com

irene clark
85308
irene at stein-cox.com

I live in northwest Glendale. I have two 10 foot long hedges of photinia,
which are located on the north and northwest area of our house. For the
previous four years, the hedges have looked beautiful and deep green in
color. Within the last year, I lost three of 12 bushes  one at the end of a
row, and two in the center of a row. The leaves start off by drying out
along the edges, then eventually turn all brown. Eventually, the whole bush
is dry and dead! I feed the (live) bushes with Miracle Grow, and give them
iron granules (I think its called Iron Yield per a recommendation by one
of the larger nurseries in town), and deep water. Still, I can tell I am
going to lose more! Two bushes are turning very pale green/yellow, with
progressive leaf burning. I can send photos if that will help. I cannot get
a straight answer from the many gardeners, nursery staff, and even "The
Garden Guy" as to what is going on and how to PREVENT and CURE it. I do not
want to lose the hedges, as well as any replacements that I will plant (I've
already lost two replacments to the same cause).

ANSWER:
Irene,
Although I am not familiar with growing photinia, a quick look through my
Sunset Western Garden Book lists photinia as suseptable to fireblight.
Fireblight is a bacteria that can spread from one plant to another by
insects. The book also states that new growth is the most suseptable and
overfertilizing should be avoided. There is no cure for fireblight but they
say that infected branches should be pruned back at least 12 inches below
any evidence of the disease. Discard cuttings, do not compost.

I hope this helps, perhaps some other Master Gardeners have some other
thoughts.

Christine Bahto
Master Gardener, Maricopa County, U of A Cooperative Extension