Photinia "Red Robin" - need advice!
 

Hi

Last summer, I planted four Photinia "Red Robin" shrubs in my front yard
because I loved the colour of their leaves and thought they would make an
attractive property divide. They have now almost doubled in size but when I
took a close look at them recently I noticed that they are absolutely
covered in some kind of leaf spot. I am not a knowledgeable gardener, but I
have read online that Photinia appear to be prone to leaf spot. I would
like to save the plants but am not sure what to do. Any advice would be
gratefully received.

Many thanks - Debbie
Virginia, USA

Photinia "Red Robin" - need advice!
 

On Thu, 25 Mar 2004 08:20:13 -0500, "Debbie" opined:

Hi

Last summer, I planted four Photinia "Red Robin" shrubs in my front yard
because I loved the colour of their leaves and thought they would make an
attractive property divide. They have now almost doubled in size but when I
took a close look at them recently I noticed that they are absolutely
covered in some kind of leaf spot. I am not a knowledgeable gardener, but I
have read online that Photinia appear to be prone to leaf spot. I would
like to save the plants but am not sure what to do. Any advice would be
gratefully received.

Many thanks - Debbie
Virginia, USA


Okay, like this or not, photinia is absolutely not going to recover from leaf
spot. It's a virus in the soil and I know of no true treatment. Second, it
will certainly not do well if you try to keep it as a hedge. These plants want
to be 12 feet tall and wide. You put them into unimaginable stress keeping them
in a hedge. In Texas, they are way overused, and over pruned and there is a
major decline with that plant, and many, if not all responsible garden centers
no longer sell it.

I advise you remove them while you still can and put something else there.

Photinia "Red Robin" - need advice!
 

Hi - thanks for your reply!

I had a feeling someone would tell me to "bite the bullet", so I'm not
exactly surprised by your advice to replace them (I guess I was just holding
out hope that there was something I could do, because I love their leaves).
Anyway, given the area that I live in (Charlottesville, VA) are there any
evergreen shrubs that you could recommend me using as a property divide that
would be more disease resistant - I don't want a traditional clipped hedge,
I like plants that are allowed to grow in their natural shape and that
require only a small amount of clipping to keep them from getting straggly.
Something that had some colour/flowers would be nice.

Also, do I need to treat the soil with anything before I replant new shrubs
where the Photinias have been?

Many thanks for your help - Debbie



"escapee" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 25 Mar 2004 08:20:13 -0500, "Debbie"
opined:

Hi

Last summer, I planted four Photinia "Red Robin" shrubs in my front yard
because I loved the colour of their leaves and thought they would make an
attractive property divide. They have now almost doubled in size but
when I
took a close look at them recently I noticed that they are absolutely
covered in some kind of leaf spot. I am not a knowledgeable gardener,
but I
have read online that Photinia appear to be prone to leaf spot. I would
like to save the plants but am not sure what to do. Any advice would be
gratefully received.

Many thanks - Debbie
Virginia, USA


Okay, like this or not, photinia is absolutely not going to recover from
leaf
spot. It's a virus in the soil and I know of no true treatment. Second,
it
will certainly not do well if you try to keep it as a hedge. These plants
want
to be 12 feet tall and wide. You put them into unimaginable stress
keeping them
in a hedge. In Texas, they are way overused, and over pruned and there
is a
major decline with that plant, and many, if not all responsible garden
centers
no longer sell it.

I advise you remove them while you still can and put something else there.

Photinia "Red Robin" - need advice!
 

Check out chindo viburnums. We replaced our diseased photinas with them and
have been quite pleased. We're in NC, Zone 7/8.

Photinia "Red Robin" - need advice!
 

"Debbie" wrote in message ...
Hi

Last summer, I planted four Photinia "Red Robin" shrubs in my front yard
because I loved the colour of their leaves and thought they would make an
attractive property divide. They have now almost doubled in size but when I
took a close look at them recently I noticed that they are absolutely
covered in some kind of leaf spot. I am not a knowledgeable gardener, but I
have read online that Photinia appear to be prone to leaf spot. I would
like to save the plants but am not sure what to do. Any advice would be
gratefully received.

Many thanks - Debbie
Virginia, USA


Since you have to take a close look, yours aren't as bad as mine were
and may have a chance. I had to rip mine out because the spot
progressed to the point of no return. In my research about the disease
I learned a few things.

1. Keep underneath the bush WELL raked. The disease is spread partly
by spot-stricken leaves on the ground. The fallen leaves get splashed
by water and send the spores upward to contaminate more leaves.
Dispose of the leaves, do not compost or burn.

2. Use immunox anti-fungal in a spray once every 7-21 days. I'd
suggest an Ortho dial-a-spray that is kept full of the stuff. Spray
often. Soak the plants with the stuff when you spray. The Ortho helps
you do this quickly.

3. Although more suceptible, new growth is your friend. You basically
need to grow to reduce the proportional amount of the disease. Keep
spraying and the new leaves will get the disease less. If they make it
to green from red without a spot, they will likely stay that way.

4. As such, you need to make your soil friendly to growth. Try texas
greensand for iron. I've heard that corn meal helps against the
disease (Take a look at www.dirtdoctor.com for the "Sick tree
treatment"

5. Don't cut them back to much. Part of the reason mine failed was
that they were kept as a short hedge. Photinia want to grow.

6. If all else fails, go to a local "mom and pop" nursury, not to the
BORG (Big Orange Retail Giant - Home Depot). Bring pictures of the
location. Know where North is and when and how much sun the location
gets. Ask them to recommend a suitable replacement. I went with dwarf
holly and sage.

Photinia "Red Robin" - need advice!
 

On Thu, 25 Mar 2004 08:20:13 -0500, "Debbie"
wrote:

Last summer, I planted four Photinia "Red Robin" shrubs in my front yard
because I loved the colour of their leaves and thought they would make an
attractive property divide. They have now almost doubled in size but when I
took a close look at them recently I noticed that they are absolutely
covered in some kind of leaf spot. I am not a knowledgeable gardener, but I
have read online that Photinia appear to be prone to leaf spot. I would
like to save the plants but am not sure what to do. Any advice would be
gratefully received.


Photinas are a bad choice for a hedge unless you're up to almost
constant pruning. Another poster says they grow to 12' -- more like 20
to 25'. As for the leaf-spot, check with your local extension agent to
ID the problem. Here's a site with pictures and info on Entomosporium
maculatum:

http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/pp/not...11/odin011.htm

Photinia "Red Robin" - need advice!
 

There are varieties of nandina that grow lower and more densely than the
standard kind. All have reddish leaves at times of the year, and interesting
form, and they don't outgrow their space. However, they are not as dense as
some people like hedges to be. I think they might be hardy in
Charlottesville.
"Debbie" wrote in message
...
Hi

Last summer, I planted four Photinia "Red Robin" shrubs in my front yard
because I loved the colour of their leaves and thought they would make an
attractive property divide. They have now almost doubled in size but when
I
took a close look at them recently I noticed that they are absolutely
covered in some kind of leaf spot. I am not a knowledgeable gardener, but
I
have read online that Photinia appear to be prone to leaf spot. I would
like to save the plants but am not sure what to do. Any advice would be
gratefully received.

Many thanks - Debbie
Virginia, USA

Photinia "Red Robin" - need advice!
 

Debbie,

From what I've been reading about photinias, I get the message to forget
them. I moved to Virignia 3 years ago and have about 12 of them outside my
fence next to the sidewalk. They were a wonderful source of privacy until
last year (2003). They leafed out like normal but then dropped about 80% of
the leaves due to leaf spot. I'm getting new growth this year but am taking
a wait and see attitude.

I agree with you that they are pretty (especially when in flower) but I'm
sure there are other alternatives. I'm considering camellias. In any
event, I'm not looking forward to removing my old shrubs. They are probably
10+ years old so quite established.

Good luck with your shrubs.

Lynn

"Debbie" wrote in message
...
Hi

Last summer, I planted four Photinia "Red Robin" shrubs in my front yard
because I loved the colour of their leaves and thought they would make an
attractive property divide. They have now almost doubled in size but when
I
took a close look at them recently I noticed that they are absolutely
covered in some kind of leaf spot. I am not a knowledgeable gardener, but
I
have read online that Photinia appear to be prone to leaf spot. I would
like to save the plants but am not sure what to do. Any advice would be
gratefully received.

Many thanks - Debbie
Virginia, USA