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Old 13-May-2007   #3
bonsaimeister
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Join Date: Jan-2007
Location: Seattle, Washington
Country: USA
USDA Zone: Zone 8
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Maby this will help
It was written by thomas J.

One of the biggest problems with chinese elms is their tendency to get Black Leaf Spot, an awful fungual disease that will do serious harm to your tree if it's not treated ASAP. This disease starts its life in the Spring when the new leaves have started opening and the Spring rains are quite often. It only affects new tender growth that hasn't hardened off yet. After the leaf has been infected it will follow through to the branches making them look like they've been burnt at the tips and cause them to shrivel up. The tree naturally is under significant stress because of this. If steps aren't taken to completely eliminate the fungus, the tree will probably die. Even after treatment begins the damage will probably last throughout the rest of the growing season. A serious treatment with an antifungual must be started immediately, and a watchful eye to see that the disease is being eliminated during the course of the treatment. A product called Daconil is a good one to use for this. Use it by drenching the crown of the tree and work your way down so as to wet all leaves; those that are infected and those that are not. Do this with your watering can.
All this trouble can be eliminated though in most cases, by not doing one specific thing, and that is to not water the new leaves until they harden off. This will probably around six to eight weeks form the time they open. Once you notice the color of the leaves turning from light green to to bit of a darker green, and they don't have that tender look to them, you should be safe. And when I say no water on the leaves, I mean no rain water also. That means if you know that rain is in the forecast, you must do whatever you have to to shelter it. Sounds pretty drastic I know, but this simple precaution will eliminate a lot of trouble later on. If your tree should come down with this disease, continue to fertilize as usual even during treatment to allow the tree to bear the stress that it will be going through. As I said the damage will remain throughout the growing season, but next Spring should have the tree showing no signs of what it went through the preceding year.

hope this helps,
bonsaimeister
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