New disease on apple trees

Spots and discoloration on the leaves of apple trees and premature leaf fall are caused by various pathogens. Most of these are apple scab or leaf spot diseases caused by fungi of the genus Phyllosticta . In recent years, home gardening and organic farming has more often seen a premature leaf fall in which the leaves had similar symptoms. According to investigations by the Bavarian State Research Center for Agriculture, however, the causative agent in these cases was not one of the known domestic pathogens, but the fungus Marssonina coronaria.

After a summer of frequent rainfall, the first spots may form on the leaves as early as July. They later converge and larger leaf areas turn chlorotically yellow. Also striking is an early onset of leaf fall, often in the summer. The fruits remain basically free from attack, but the leaf fall leads to a reduced fruit size and quality. The shelf life of apples is limited. In addition, next year is expected to lower flowering and fruiting.

The symptoms of fungal disease vary from species to variety. The leaves of 'Golden Delicious' show distinct necrotic grains, in 'Boskoop' the leaves are yellow in color and speckled with green dots. Idared, on the other hand, shows few symptoms. Interestingly, the strain 'Topaz' is particularly vulnerable, although it is quite resistant to apple scab, for example.

The home of Marssonina coronaria is Southeast Asia. The fungus can, like the well-known apple scab, overwinter on a fall foliage and the fungal spores infect the fully developed leaves after the apple blossom. Temperatures over 20 degrees and permanently damp leaves favor the infection - therefore the infestation pressure is particularly high in rainy years. Due to the possible climate change with increasingly humid summers, a further spread is likely, especially in home gardens, organic apple orchards and orchards.


Because the mushroom (Marssonina) overwinters during fall foliage, you should carefully collect it and promote a loose crown structure through regular fruit tree trimming, so that the leaves can dry well during the growing season. Fighting in the home garden with fungicides does not make sense, since the starting point for the hobby gardener is difficult to recognize and repeated spraying would be necessary for a sufficient effect. In conventional fruit growing, the disease is usually combated by the preventive scab treatments.

Pittsburgh-based botanical garden adds vertical garden display for visitors

The Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has utilized LiveWall’s green wall system to showcase the possibilities of vertical gardening.

The conservatory was founded in 1893 and has served as a leader in sustainability, conservation and green building design among public gardens.

Phipps strives to promote human and environmental well-being and one of the latest methods it has been pursuing is the support of growing local produce in urban areas. The botanical garden offers various programs to youth and adults on the benefits of raised bed vegetable gardening, local food production and healthy eating.

“Limited space is a significant challenge for urban gardening,” said Michael Bechtel, display horticulturist for Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens. “With our green walls, we have the opportunity to study, evaluate and learn about growing edibles on space-efficient vertical gardens. This forward-thinking approach enables Phipps to offer education and assistance to homeowners, schools, and community organizations on planning, installing, and maintaining their own green walls so that they can benefit from fresh produce.”

Phipps sponsors Homegrown, its outreach program that increases community access to fresh produce and since 2013 it has helped establish more than 200 vegetable gardens in urban areas.

In 2015, the botanical garden tested out LiveWall Inspire Living Wall Panels along with several other living wall systems on its south facing wall of the Production Greenhouse Facility. After the initial testing was complete, Phipps installed nine more Inspire panels.

LiveWall was chosen thanks to its soil volume and depth for growing, its integrated irrigation system and durability, according to Bechtel. The Inspire standard panels are four feet wide and seven feet, four inches tall. Each has 24 modular planting boxes.

“Green walls, also known as living walls, are structural and horticultural systems that attach to existing walls and transform them into vertical gardens,” said Dave MacKenzie, president of LiveWall. “Growing vegetables and herbs on its green wall display is an innovative way for Phipps to demonstrate how families and community groups can grow their own fresh, healthy produce even if they do not have areas for large garden plots.”


The vertical wall display will feature beets, carrots, collard greens, kale and kohlrabi growing in the spring and in the summer, it will include basil, rosemary, thyme, celery root and various peppers.

Montreal’s Chinese Gardens re-open after 3 years

For the past three years, the Chinese Gardens at the Botanical Garden have been getting a big face-lift.

On Thursday, the largest Chinese gardens outside of Asia were ready to show off their new shine for their official opening Friday.

Its seven pavilions were restored to their old splendor, just like they were when they opened back in 1991.

The intricate roof tiles were carefully refinished by specialized workers from Shanghai. Montreal craftsmen assisted in the job.

Their collaborative work showcases the friendship between the two sister cities, a constant theme throughout the garden.

“It was very emotional to have these two cultures -Chinese and Canadian Montrealers- come together and rebuild this magnificent garden cause it’s one of most popular gardens, the Botanical Gardens,” Charles-Mathieu Brunelle, Space For Life’s Director, told Global News.

Nick Faldo confirms for Bear Mountain golf tourney

To Sir with love, from Bear Mountain.
Sir Nick Faldo, England’s greatest golfer and knighted by Queen Elizabeth in 2009, is the latest competitor to confirm he will play in the Pacific Links Bear Mountain Championship from Sept. 11-17.
Faldo’s impressive list of accomplishments includes three Masters championships and three British Open titles for six majors in total. The unflappable six-foot-three native of Hertfordshire also won nine times on the PGA Tour and 30 times on the European Tour.
The 60-year-old is still receiving exposure as a commentator for the Golf Channel and CBS.

“Sir Nick is a true golf legend . . . he is an impactful addition to an already strong field,” said Pacific Links International president Rudy Anderson, in a statement. Announced last week for the Bear Mountain tournament was John Daly, among the most bombastic figures in golf history.
The $1.8 million US stop on the PGA Tour Champions, which is for players 50 and over, is in its second year. Colin Montgomerie from Scotland outlasted Scott McCarron in extra holes to win the inaugural Pacific Links Bear Mountain tournament last year.
Confirmed for this year’s tournament are Faldo, Daly, Montgomerie, Charles Schwab money leader Bernhard Langer of Germany, Canadian Golf Hall of Famer Stephen Ames, and former PGA Tour regulars such as McCarron, Mark Calcavecchia, Fred Funk, Jay Haas and Paul Goydos.