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Spiraea Disease

autumncrisp78autumncrisp78 Posts: 15
in Plants
My spiraea were getting very close to flowering and now all three of them are covered in this horrible white stuff. Is there any way to save them? Can they be treated or do I just need to cut them right back and hope they're ok? If they are saveable, is there anything I need to look out for in the future to stop this happening again? Such a shame as they look so lovely in flower :(

Posts

  • autumncrisp78autumncrisp78 Posts: 15

  • autumncrisp78autumncrisp78 Posts: 15
    ps - sorry, whenever I post a picture on here it gets rotated to a weird angle for some reason...
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Hi … there’s a glitch on the site … if you trim the photo just slightly it’ll post the right way up. 🤷‍♀️ 
     
    There you are 😊 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    I think it’s a powdery mildew … we’ve had a very dry spring when the ground was already dry because of last summer’s drought. 
    Drought stress makes plants susceptible to powdery mildew. I’d give lots of water … a couple of buckets full twice a week for  the next couple of weeks … I know spires aren’t keen on having wet feet, but conditions lately have been unusually dry. 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    The one in your pic seems to be growing next to a conifer. That will probably mean it'll be even drier. You can only get away with such close planting of shrubs/trees if you're in an area that's wetter on a regular basis, and with more moisture retentive soil. 

    How plants are being grown is always important for their health, so you may need to look at moving it, or them, to a different site rather than using lots of water to try and keep it right. I think that's going to be the case for many people in their gardens now, and in the future    :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • autumncrisp78autumncrisp78 Posts: 15
    Thank you
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