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Originally Posted by DEW
1. All the pyracanthas have been allowed to srpead virtually unpruned, which means I'll have to remove most of the foliage just to get them out of the ground. Can pyracantha
survive a severe pruning prior to transplanting? I understand that some broadleaf evergreens can be totally defoliated without killing them; is pyracantha in this category?
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Yes they can stand sever pruning before transplanting, and that is the way they should be taken. This reduces the stress on the plant by not having such a large foliage mass to deal with as well as the loss of roots.
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Originally Posted by DEW
2. Some of the largest pyracantha have bark splits or galls at their bases with white powdery growth (looks a little like powdery mildew, but it's on the bark, not the leaves). Any guess at what this might be, how to treat it -- and should I even bother trying to collect the plant with it?
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Pyracantha are susceptable to may maladies in the wild. especailly fireblight which can take the whole plant in a week. I would dig the plant, pott it in free draining soil and give a shot of fungicide now since wet weather seems to be holding on still. being in a pot and new root stimulation I suspect any fungus will dissapear quite quickly.
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Originally Posted by DEW
3. Also, some of the larger plants have large bumps on their branches. They are uneven shapes, but smooth barked, and there doesn't seem to be any open wound or seepage from them. Again, any guesses what this might be, treatment, and whether the plant should even be collected.
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The lumps and bumps are most likely from nemetodes. This will not likely be transfered to a pot, but inspect the roots carefully when bare rooted. I say bare rooted because I would treat them with a clorox dip after digging. Very brief, one teaspoon in a gallon of water should do it. The lumps and bumps are nothing to be alarmed about and add some dimension of charecter to the plant in the long run.
Right now is a good time to dig them. They should be pushing new growth now in the Northern hemisphere. They are fun and can be very rewarding plants since they build canopies very fast. You will kick yourself for not digging them, so get busy!
Regards, Al