Cooler weather frees up gardeners for inspections

Angela O'Callaghan

Thursday, Oct. 16, 2008 | midnight

Angela O'Callaghan

At season's change, it can be a good idea to look over the plants in the landscape, whether in the garden or indoors. Taking a few moments to do more than a cursory once over is often the first, crucial step in controlling problems or potential problems. Looking a little more closely can reveal the presence of diseases, damage or insect pests before they become unmanageable.

When something wrong has been revealed, whether it is excessively drooping, shredded or discolored leaves, holes in the bark, or small white puffs at the intersection of leaf and stem, it is up to the intrepid gardener to take action, which can be easier said than done, unfortunately, especially when the problem is unfamiliar.

No matter the problem, there are certain questions that should be answered before trying any solution. The answers to the questions will probably help form the appropriate response. If one plans to contact the Master Gardener help line, it can really expedite the process when these questions have already been covered.

The first question is: what kind of plant is it? Is it one that originated in the desert (like a cactus or an agave) or something that came from the jungle (like a begonia or a philodendron)? These two extremes require different kinds of care.

The next is essential, but it may seem so obvious that is often skipped. How should the plant appear if it were healthy? Would the foliage be a deep green or would it have streaks, or perhaps a red underside? Knowing what the plant looks like at its best will provide a good baseline for comparison.

Where is it planted? The following are some examples.

If a light-sensitive houseplant has been sitting in a sunny west-facing window, leaf damage could result from something as simple as sunburn. On the other hand, a lantana planted in a cool shady spot can be a vulnerable candidate for the fungal disease powdery mildew.

Was the landscape plant dropped into a too-small hole, possibly a poorly drained one? This is frequently the kiss of death.

Look at proximity to traffic; certain plants that have been growing very close to a busy driveway can often show symptoms that are really the result of air pollution from vehicles.

How long has it been in its current site? Has the houseplant been marooned in the same small pot for years, actually outgrowing it, but with no recourse to another place?

Has anyone in the area been using a product that contains herbicide? This could be an item like "weed and feed", or anything that contains "weed" in its title. Sometimes these can be applied incorrectly, with the result that some of it drifts off target, damaging neighboring plants.

These are only a few of the critical questions that should be asked when plants start looking sad, sick or damaged. In later columns, I will cover some of the others.

Angela O’Callaghan is the area specialist in social horticulture for the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension. She can be reached c/o the Home News, 2360 Corporate Circle, Third Floor, Henderson, NV 89074, or TheNews@hbcpub.com.