Is it sick? What should I do?

Midnight Reiter Too · Post by **Midnight Reiter Too** » Mar 28, 2007 1:00 am

What are those brown knot-like things on the left half of the picture?

Buckeye · Post by **Buckeye** » Mar 28, 2007 6:30 am

Those galls are most likely caused by the Phomopsis fungus. There is no known control measure, but it rarely kills a plant. You can prune out galls (sterilizing pruners between cuts) if you don't like the appearance.

viktoria · Post by **viktoria** » Mar 28, 2007 6:46 am

Were it mine, I would cut the entire shrub (right after bloom) down to just a foot high to promote new, bushier growth and better form. And sterilize the pruners afterwards.

Midnight Reiter Too · Post by **Midnight Reiter Too** » Mar 28, 2007 9:06 am

My forsythia is a standard. How far down would you cut a standard, or would you?

Post by **Chris_W** » Mar 28, 2007 9:48 am

If it is a standard does that mean it was grafted onto something else? If so, then no, you wouldn't want to cut it down.

I was wondering, though, is that some kind of fruit forming on the new growth in the top of the picture? It looks similar in shape to the brown cluster. Could the brown clusters just be old, dried fruit from last year?

I'm sure you have a better idea of whether it is in the bark or just hanging on the outside.

John · Post by **John** » Mar 28, 2007 11:06 am

I have seen these galls also, and as recommended by buckeye, would prune them out, sterilizing as you go. I'd reshape the forsythia while I was at it, and maybe stake it to maintain the standard form? Forsythia respond very well to pruning after bloom.

Chris, I don't think I've ever seen seeds form on those, maybe I've never looked closely enough. Mine was removed to make room for more hostas...

Post by **Chris_W** » Mar 28, 2007 11:24 am

Hi John,

The better flowering varieties of forsythia are usually sterile, but this particular one looks like it might be setting seed. However, that might be from the plant that the standard was grafted to.

whis4ey · Post by **whis4ey** » Mar 28, 2007 11:56 am

I can see what you are talking about Chris
I have never seen anything like that on a Forsythia before
Surely if you prune hard you don't get flowers next year? Or am I wrong on this?

kHT · Post by **kHT** » Mar 28, 2007 2:11 pm

Yes prune after the blooms as stated above. whis4ey, we have pruned ours clear to the gound as it had gotten out of control between the blueberries, it bloomed the next year like crazy. It's my understanding they bloom on new growth so prune away to shape!

Midnight Reiter Too · Post by **Midnight Reiter Too** » Mar 29, 2007 11:50 pm

Chris_W wrote:If it is a standard does that mean it was grafted onto something else? If so, then no, you wouldn't want to cut it down.

I was wondering, though, is that some kind of fruit forming on the new growth in the top of the picture? It looks similar in shape to the brown cluster. Could the brown clusters just be old, dried fruit from last year?

I'm sure you have a better idea of whether it is in the bark or just hanging on the outside.

I've thoroughly examined my shrub and don't feel good about it as there are actually more galls than I first noticed. Also every year it gets a lot of annoying suckers at the base.

What looks like fruit at the top of the photo are buds that hadn't opened. I believe this forsythia was grafted onto another plant but I can't give you any details about that. I've decided to get rid of the whole shrub rather than worry about this virus or what-have-you infecting another plant.

I've appreciated everyone's input as I didn't what the heck was going on. The standard looked very pretty in that spot. I don't know what I'll use as a replacement. Is the soil safe in that area?

QUESTION:

Should I disinfect my loppers with alcohol or a Clorox solution? I've always used rubbing alcohol in the past.

Midnight Reiter Too · Post by **Midnight Reiter Too** » Apr 02, 2007 5:15 pm

I dug it up all by myself. Whew!

kHT · Post by **kHT** » Apr 02, 2007 6:27 pm

Should I disinfect my loppers with alcohol or a Clorox solution?

Midnight Reiter, we do not use either of those solutions, we have found boiling water is your best solution with cleaning up our tools. We just fire up the steam cleaner when we know that we will be cutting and digging up items all day.