Got plant problems? Ask a UConn Master Gardener
When I’m not sitting in meetings or typing away at my computer, I can often be found in the garden. If there’s anything in this world I regularly spend too much money on, it’s plants (and pots from the end-of-summer sales at Ocean State job Lot which ultimately leads to me spending more money to fill those pots the following spring). This May, I found myself staring at my lilac bushes as one bloomed and the other produced one sad flower. This was the second year of lackluster performance from this bush. Last year I’d done some research and put a gameplan into place. But all my new fertilizers only got me one bloom, so when I received an email from UConn Extension’s Master Gardener Program, I saw an opportunity!
According to the information they provided, “For nearly 50 years, UConn Extension’s Master Gardener Program has provided Connecticut residents with research-based gardening advice and horticultural education. Established in 1978, the program trains volunteers in horticulture, environmental stewardship, and sustainable gardening practices.”
And, they say, one of the program’s most popular community services is the free Plant Diagnostic Clinic: “Each summer, UConn Master Gardeners help residents identify and solve a wide variety of gardening problems, including plant diseases, insect damage, tree and shrub issues, lawn concerns, and vegetable gardening questions.” The extension office was hoping Stafford Free Press could help promote the free Plant Diagnostic Clinic they run each summer, by running a press release. I decided I’d do one better—or worse, depending on your perspective—by actually giving the program a try.
I headed outside to take pictures of the blistered leaves of my lilac. As I looked closer, I noticed a few brown and crispy leaves—a new development—along with what looked like powdery mildew. The mildew didn’t worry me too much, it’s not typically a serious threat for lilacs. Still, this plant is struggling and I want to know what else I can do to make sure there are plenty of lovely smelling flowers next May.
I sent the pictures off and quickly got a reply: “Would you consider bringing us a small sample so we can take a closer look? There can be many issues affecting plants and a sample can tell us what it might be.”
It took me a few days to find time to drop my lilac clippings off in Vernon, but the next week, I received some answers: “As is often the case with plants, there can be several causes for what we see. You correctly identified powdery mildew, which is very common on lilacs. It's not pretty, but it seldom causes lasting damage if the plant is healthy to begin with. It is one of the causes of leaf distortion that appears like puckering or blistering…
But that's not all. When we examined the leaf sample under the microscope, we found some interesting clues. We noted some very fine webbing that led us to suspect spider mites. The damage from these insects is a sort of stippling, because they are piercing-sucking insects, just like aphids and thrips. Leaves can look discolored yellowish, or bronze. In addition, there appeared to be insect eggs of some type. Spider mites have several generations in a season. Piercing-sucking insects can also cause the kind of distortion in leaves that looks like twisted, blistered leaves. Spider mites will infest plants during dry weather, such as we had earlier this summer with moderate drought conditions.”
While I’m not sure any of those are causing the lack of blooms, or the dark green leaves that seem to grow in pre-crinkled, at least I have a better idea of the problems plaguing my lilacs. Our recent rain may have given the spider mites and run for their money, but I’ll keep up my fertilizing routine and hope that next spring I have an abundance of blooms.
If you have a plant that’s got its own problems, take a few photos and email them with a
description of the problem to tollandmastergardeners@uconn.edu. If you suspect insects are damaging your plants, you can bring a sample of the affected plant to the clinic. Master Gardeners will research the issue and provide recommendations based on the latest science-based information from UConn Extension.
You can call the clinic at 860-870-6934 with questions or to get clinic hours (which change monthly). The Tolland County Extension Office is located at 24 Hyde Avenue in Vernon.
To learn more about the UConn Extension Master Gardener Program, including the annual
training program and application process (which opens each September), visit
