Treating black spot fungus on elms

mcpesq817

So I noticed black spots on the leaves of one of my chinese elms last week, and didn't think much of it. In purusing these forums, I realized that I could have a serious problem on my hands.

I've seen the following recommendations for anti-fungals: Daconil, Mancozeb, Ortho Garden Disease Control, Benlate (Benomyl) and Captan. Are these readily available at places like Home Depot? I work late so that's the only store that's typically open when I get home, and would rather start the treatment immediately.

Also, for those of you that own chinese elms, do you keep your elms under a covered shelf or other stand? I have mine in a rack, but the roof of the rack has slats in the top, so the elms under the roof get wet from rains. I'm thinking that maybe I should cover the gaps in the slats such that the elms would only get wet from me watering them? If I used antifungal sprays in the future, would that be enough to avoid black spot? Maybe the solution is to just build a bonsai shelf that has a solid roof at the top so I avoid these problems in the future.

Luckily I bought the elm for only $10, but I recently purchased nicer stock at the National Arboretum last weekend and want to be more careful going forward. I am kicking myself for not being more diligent in looking up the problem

Thanks very much in advance.

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Thomas_J.

Daconil is the brand I use or should I say used to use. Since I found out what the trick is, and that is to never get the leaves wet when the new growth is coming out usually in the early spring. Once the new growth hardens there will be no problem. My ch. elms never see rain water in the spring and never get watered overhead at that time.

As for the Daconil. call around, I used to get mine from Wal Mart, and any neighborhood nursery should carry it. Start to drench the canopy with it every 4-5 days for two weeks then every 10 days until you see improvement.The infected leaves will fall off and new ones should fill in.

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Thomas J.