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Root rot
Cherry red 2
Posts: 2
Hello, last year I transplanted a Wagelia into my South facing front garden into very heavy clay soil, the same as that it had come from. We gave it a very harsh prune and some new shoots grew last year. However, I noticed a few days ago some browsing a dying back of these stems. Then I looked at the base and it had grey, flat mushroom structure growing all across the crown. When I broke it up it smelt strongly of mushroom. Did some googling, pointed me towards fungal root rot, it did have the White layer underneath the bark. But, no black rhizomorphs when I dug it up, but lots of small extending brown roots, some that had suck to the weed mat with the same white formation I found under the bark. Many of the roots were sodden. Also mushrooms were grey not brown so not sure if it's honey rot?? So what I really need help with us what on earth the plant was suffering from and how do I get rid of it from the soil and will it spread to the rest of the plants!! Any help and advise would be very much appreciated.
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Posts
The chances are the weigela just didn't survive the transplant and died, after which the fungus took hold. Waterlogging will kill most shrubs until they are well established, so that could have been the problem in a clay soil, especially as you mentioned sodden roots. By digging a hole in clay you can actually make things worse and create a sump into which the water from the surrounding clay will run.
Only a very, very few fungi attack living plants (Honey fugus being the most common.) If you remove the stump, dig the area over well and add plenty of good stuff like well-rotted farmyard manure and home-made compost as well as a lot of grit, you should be able to plant just about anything. The fungus isn't something to worry about.
Thank you so much for taking the time to reply and for putting my mind at rest.
I adore gardening but I'm still very much a novice!
I have my own compost so I will dig some of that through the soil.