Tree Experts in Lafayette, LA
Anthracnose is a fungal disease that thrives in moist and cool conditions. This disease can thrive in the conditions surrounding the humid areas of southern Louisiana during the fall months of the year. Fungal diseases such as this can develop on our shady trees, and ultimately spread their spores quite easily throughout the region given the proper temperature and conditions. The problem can be cyclical, but it is very rarely fatal. Distinguishing between Anthracnose and other leaf spot diseases isn't always easy, but you can look on the under side of leaves for numerous small tan and brown spots roughly the size of a pin head covering the leaf. If you are unsure about how to diagnose this fungal disease, please contact Tree Service Lafayette to have a professional consult your property and help you determine the cause and best course of action addressing these issues. Our team of certified experts use years of combined experience and a fundamental understanding of tree biology to ensure that a proper diagnosis is issued followed by the correct treatment to preserve the life of a homes beautiful trees.
Anthracnose treatment starts with proper sanitation. Clearing out discarded brush or leftover limbs, branches and leaves from the tree can help prevent the fungus from spreading spores and overwintering near the tree. It is also pertinent that proper pruning and tree trimming is performed to remove dead or decaying portions of the tree that could cause the fungal disease to spread to other parts of the tree. Over trimming or lack of proper water and fertilization can cause a tree to go into a state of shock which stresses the plant and causes it to become more susceptible to these types of infection. This is another reason professional help from Tree Service Lafayette is crucial to ensuring you maintain healthy trees on your property. Chemical treatment is rarely used unless the disease has spread to newly transplanted plants or continues to affect foliage.
How to Identify Anthracnose
How to Prevent Anthracnose
Aside from treating this fungal disease, there are steps a home or business owner can take to prevent this fungal disease from infecting foliage on their property. Preventative measures taken now can avoid major costly issues in the future.
Anthracnose treatment starts with proper sanitation. Clearing out discarded brush or leftover limbs, branches and leaves from the tree can help prevent the fungus from spreading spores and overwintering near the tree. It is also pertinent that proper pruning and tree trimming is performed to remove dead or decaying portions of the tree that could cause the fungal disease to spread to other parts of the tree. Over trimming or lack of proper water and fertilization can cause a tree to go into a state of shock which stresses the plant and causes it to become more susceptible to these types of infection. This is another reason professional help from Tree Service Lafayette is crucial to ensuring you maintain healthy trees on your property. Chemical treatment is rarely used unless the disease has spread to newly transplanted plants or continues to affect foliage.
How to Identify Anthracnose
- On leaves, Anthracnose generally appears at first as small yellow or brown dots that scatter along the underside of the leaves. These spots darken as they age, and begin to spread out and cover the under surface of the leaf over time.
- On vegetables, it can affect any part of the plant it is infecting.
- On fruits, it produces small, sunken spots that are dark and begin to spread over the fruit. In most climates, small pink spore masses will begin to develop inside these sunken areas and the fruit will eventually rot.
- On trees, it will begin to kill the tips of young twigs around the areas it affects. It also attacks young, fresh leaves and will begin to cover them in yellow or brown spots and cause defoliation of the tree.
How to Prevent Anthracnose
Aside from treating this fungal disease, there are steps a home or business owner can take to prevent this fungal disease from infecting foliage on their property. Preventative measures taken now can avoid major costly issues in the future.
- Remove any and all infected plants in your garden, yard or on your property.
- For Trees, a dormant spray of bordeaux mix can help boost a trees immune system and provide supportive ingredients to help the tree fight infection and remain healthy.
- Ensuring your soil drains well and enriching it with compost can provide supportive nutrients and boost a trees capability to fight infection.
