On Mon, 28 Apr 2003 03:52:14 GMT, "Mark A. Luna"
wrote:

Four years ago I planted to Shumards in my back yard. The first two years
all was fine. Last year one of the Shumards developed a problem shortly
after leafing in the spring. The leaves were spotted with black spots, then
eventually the leaves wilted and turned brown and fell off. This happened
to all the leaves. It is happening again this year. The other Shumard in
my back yard does not have this problem. Last year I took one of the leaves
to a nursery and was told not to worry about it, that this sometimes happens
to Red Oaks. Any idea what the problem is and how to treat it?

Thanks,
Mark


Do a google search on "bacterial leaf scorch" and see how that
compares to your trees. If you have it, kill the affected tree now
and clean up dropped leaves well before it spreads to your other tree.


The sites I've seen about BLS generally condemn the tree outright,
saying it will be dead in 2-3 years regardless, but I think they can
actually live with the infection a long time in some cases (I know of
one in particular thta has made it past 3 yrs. already). I'd just be
reluctant to risk spreading it. If you had only one oak and other
trees around were not susceptible, I might be more inclined to wait
and see what happens.

good luck (I hope this is not what you have),

Keith
For more info about the International Society of Arboriculture, please visit http://www2.champaign.isa-arbor.com/.
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