Michigan State University Extension
Ornamental Plants plus Version 3.0 - 00001664
11/12/99

General Decline And Dieback


Decline is the most prevalent problem of ornamental plants
in the urban environment, particularly in plants alongside
roadways and sidewalks.

Symptoms: Landscape trees and shrubs with decline show
thin foliage and dead branches in the crown adjacent to
apparently healthy branches. Branch dieback begins in the
top of the canopy in deciduous trees and on the lower
branches in narrow-leaved evergreens. On deciduous
plants, the leaves change color and drop earlier in
autumn, and the spring flush of growth occurs later than
in healthy trees of the same species.

Cause: Pathogens are frequently involved, but urban
environmental stress is of primary importance.

Control: Revitalize the root system of the declining
plants in the following way. Bore holes in the lawn in
the fibrous root zone under and just beyond the drip line
of the plant canopy. The holes should be 18 to 24 inches
deep and 2 to 4 inches wide. Space the holes in rings
around solitary plants, or, space them evenly between
plants growing in beds. Space the holes one foot apart.
Then, fill the holes with sand, coarse bark or sphagnum
peat moss. This will improve the aeration and
permeability of the soil and help to restructure the soil.
Most important of all, water trees and shrubs during dry
periods of spring and summer when rain is not frequent.
Fertilizer can be added to the holes in future years, if
needed.


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