Persimmon tree disease?

[Fishbonker]

A couple of days ago I noticed a few leaves on one of my persimmon trees had black tips on the leaves. I looked again last night and the black has extended from the tip along the edge of the leaves. Its only about 1/16th on an inch wide. The leaves aren't curling, the trees are growing like weeds and I noticed a couple more trees with the black edge on some of their leaves.

I did a very long search on persimmon/fruit tree diseases and couldn't find a picture or even a discription of what the trees have. I don't know if its a fungus, a bug or just heat stress. I'm gonna go ahead and spray for fungus and bugs. I think I've kept up with the water demands, I'm pretty sure I haven't over watered them.

Anybody seen this before and if so how did you cure it?

The 'Bonker

 

[bjkpharmd]

I don't think it was an early frost.

Let me find the dendrology site I have at home- talks about disease and treatments.

 

[Fishbonker]

Here are some photos

[image]
http://www.iowawhitetail.com/photopost/data/535/269persimmon_leaves_003-med.jpg[/image]

The 'Bonker

 

[iowabruce]

Ok,
I needed to flex my Iowa Nurseryman Muscles today....It really looks like common summer leaf burn. I take that the trees are relatively young. What and how long ago have you fertilized? They are looking a little chloratic (sp?)...."yellow".

 

[dbltree]

[ QUOTE ]

What and how long ago have you fertilized?

[/ QUOTE ]

There you go Bonker...a new place to empty the kitty litter box

 

[bjkpharmd]

The edges affected look different to me than the center leaf lesions. I was thinking of leaf-spot but it does not look like that on the edge of a leaf. You can google persimmon leaf spot and find a couple images. I was looking at this link for the details on disease/pests for persimmons.

persimmon link

 

[Fishbonker]

When I planted the bare root trees this spring I used some transplant/root starter and I haven't fertilized again out of fear of burning them.

The persimmons are too far to carry the cat poo and the cats aren't so good about letting me know when they gotta go so I can't take the poo in vivo to the trees either. Guess I'll just have to let the wife clean the box.

I did spray the trees last night with Fung-onil and Eight (prethryn).

The 'Bonker

 

[iowabruce]

If you have been watering regularly, any nutrients that were there are probably gone. A shot of liquid fertilizer would probably help them out...that is , if you can get it to them. The only way you could burn them is by using a quick release high nitrogen granular....which ofcourse I'd stay away from. Next year, a balanced dry fertilizer could be used at the drip line.

 

[Fishbonker]

I thought it might be too late in the year to fertilize as any new growth wouldn't have a chance to "harden off" before it got cold and would die. Is it too late? They are still putting on lots of new leaves.

The 'Bonker

 

[iowabruce]

Not at all, just don't use a high nitrogen fertilizer. Make sure the middle number (phosphorus) is higher, or even something balanced like 12-12-12. Truthfully, depending on how many you might have, Miracle Gro works great, just don't use Miracid. About 4-5 gallons on the little guy's should help going into the fall and winter.

 

[dbltree]

[ QUOTE ]
Truthfully, depending on how many you might have, Miracle Gro works great, just don't use Miracid. About 4-5 gallons on the little guy's should help going into the fall and winter.

[/ QUOTE ]

I use Miracle Gro on my "lawn" trees all the time and it works great! I don't think you can hardly burn them with that stuff. I mix it way heavier then the directions, in a plastic watering can and pour it right over the foliage and around the drip line. I use that stuff on all our flowers and it makes an obvious difference with them. I can't say for sure on the trees except it has never hurt them.
Mostly dogwoods and flowering crabapples and I do it once every 10 to 14 days (fertilize that is...

)