Perhaps the most common source of plant problems will be in the form of plant pathogens that cause diseases. In the vast majority of cases plant diseases cannot be readily cured, rather they must be prevented. In order to prevent these problems ... READ MORE
Category: Agriculture
To newcomers and long-time residents alike, palms make Florida a paradise to the eye and spirit. Unfortunately, there is a "little devil" of a disease that attacks our palms - Ganoderma butt rot! This fungus needs a palm host to attack and a ... READ MORE
Category: Agriculture, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease
Written by Jon Terry, UF/IFAS Extension Clay County Master Gardener During cool weather in winter and early spring, some Florida homeowners begin to notice a foul-smelling fungus popping up in their yard. Although their strong rotting smell ... READ MORE
Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Pests & Disease
If your palms look wilted, off-color and are dying, check for conks (shelf-fungus) at the base of the trunk. The conks are the give-away clue that it has ganoderma butt rot disease. It is frequently found on queen palms, areca palms, Canary ... READ MORE
Category: Home Landscapes, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS Extension
When the rainy season begins, mushrooms begin to pop up all over the landscape due to the fact that mushrooms thrive on moisture. Mushrooms are the fruiting bodies of a fungus. Some indicate a disease to plants and others do not. One mushroom ... READ MORE
Category: Agriculture, Horticulture, Pests & Disease
"What is happening to these trees?" The plant diagnostic clinic at UF/IFAS Extension Manatee County frequently receives calls from residents concerned about dying trees along the roadsides. Trees in the Laurel family, including redbay, ... READ MORE
Category: Agriculture, Crops, Pests & Disease
A: Most likely a fungus is causing the leaf spot on your azalea leaves. Be sure the irrigation heads are not hitting the leaves directly; it would be better for the plant to receive water at the root area. The water splashes on the leaves and ... READ MORE
Category: Home Landscapes, Pests & Disease
A: I have seen dozens of grass specimens over the last 2 weeks – all of these had root decays and leaf spots on them caused by fungi. Many of these diseases have been caused by a combination of the fungi and too much water. The fungi are naturally ... READ MORE
Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Pests & Disease
Are you finding dead shrubs in your hedge? Botryosphaeria, bot rot, has hit Manatee County. Bot rot is a disease whose symptoms includes yellow, spotted and blighted leaves, dried leaves, defoliation, cankers, tip dieback, branch dieback, ... READ MORE
Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Pests & Disease
A: The cause of the spots on the leaves is a fungus called Rhizoctonia solani Kuhn. The leaf spots are tan with alternating light and dark concentric rings. The spores of this fungus are easily spread during warm, rainy weather. ... READ MORE
Category: Home Landscapes, Pests & Disease