Pest
Management Home Page
Agriculture, Natural Resources, &
Community Development Home Page
Dr. John F. Baniecki
WVU Extension Service
Plant Pathology and Entomology Specialist
August 2000
Abnormal growth of ornamental plants may be due to a wide variety of causes. This check
list has been prepared as an aid in diagnosing some of the growth difficulties of shrubs,
trees, and other perennial plants around the home. Always consider the possibility that
specific insects and/or diseases could cause difficulties along with causes listed here.
Diagnose Your Difficulty
- Plant stunted, weak growth, leaves off-color, limbs dying
- 1. Poor soil preparation
- 2. Drought damage
- 3. Poor soil drainage
- 4. Excess soil drainage
- 5. Planting too deeply
- 6. Improper soil pH
- 7. Damage to stem
- A. Cold damage
- B. Lawn mower damage
- C. Sunscald
- D. Borer damage
- E. Stem breakage
- F. Cat damage
- Plants dying suddenly
- 8. Overfertilization
- 9. Root rots or insects
- 10. Severe drought damage
- 11. Leakage from underground gas lines
-
- Yellowing (Chlorosis)
- 12. Nutritional deficiency
- 13. Poorly drained soil
- 14. Overfertilization
- 15. Damage to stem
- 16. Poor soil preparation
-
- Browning of margin of tips of leaves
- 17. Frost or cold damage
- 18. Drought damage
- 19. Shock from recent transplanting
- 20. Poor soil drainage
- 21. Poor soil preparation
- 22. Excessive fertilization
- 23. Root rot diseases
- 24. Mechanical damage to stem
-
- Plant failing to flower
- 25. Plants too young
- 26. Excessive vegetative growth
- 27. Floral diseases
-
- Failure to produce berries
- 28. Frost or cold damage during flowering period
- 29. Plant is male
- 30. Improper pruning
- 31. Floral diseases
-
- Loss of berries before maturity
- 32. Fungus disease attacking berries
- 33. Drought damage
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