Ann wrote:

"Jean B." expounded:


Does anyone have any idea what is killing barberries in
Massachusetts? I live in a suburb west of Boston, and I just
noticed yesterday that there are some totally dead branches on one
of our barberries that had looked wonderfully healthy before that.
I was sort-of wondering whether the neighbor had poisoned them,
but when driving around this area, I see others that are totally
defunct or seemingly headed in that direction. If there is
anything I can do about this, I obviously want to. Thanks.


Jean, I think it was just the horrible winter we had. They're saying
it the worst since 1888. Wind burn is doing them in, I think. We
have blueberry bushes up in Maine that were hit hard, too. My roses
here were decimated.

I would think that, but is it possible that they would have leafed
out so wonderfully and then just die? I dunno. I will say my
dogwoods both look like they have anthracnose now, and I suspect
the bad winter and very rainy spring weakened them.

Thanks!

--
Jean B.