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What to do about brown camellias

Sacramento Digs Gardening
BY Debbie Arrington PUBLISHED FEB 28, 2019

Already damaged by wind, this Debutante camellia shows first signs of petal blight: Tiny brown specks.
(Photos: Debbie Arrington)

On eve of Sacramento Camellia Show, petal blight a common problem

This has been a challenging camellia season in the Camellia City.

As growers prepare for this weekend’s 95th annual Sacramento Camellia Show , they’ve had to deal with plenty of stormy weather. This week, an atmospheric river dumped more than 3 inches of rain, including a record 2.52 inches Tuesday.

“Rain is not as bad as wind,” said Julie Vierra, president of the Camellia Society of Sacramento. “Wind hits (the flowers) and bruises them all up. Rain tends to cause more blossom rot.”

So much moisture also brings out camellia petal blight (Ciborinia camelliae Kohn), the bane of camellia growers. This fungal disease, which only attacks camellia flowers, can quickly turn pretty blooms into mushy brown wads. The infection starts as tiny brown specks, but those spots enlarge rapidly in the right conditions. Petal blight needs a period of cold, followed by warmer, wet days; recent weather has been ideal for massive outbreaks.

The infected flowers fall to the ground, where the fungus can stay dormant for up to five years.

To help control petal blight, pick up fallen
blooms around any camellia bush.

“Pick up fallen blooms,” Vierra said. “Pick up your neighbors, too. You’ve got to get them out of there. That stuff spreads like wildfire.”

Don’t compost infected camellia blooms; dispose of them in the garbage.

Petal blight spores can be spread short distances by wind. According to the American Camellia Society, fungicides are mostly ineffective in its control. Instead, constant clean-up of infected flowers can help contain its impact.

“Pull off browned blossoms,” Vierra said. “Keep bushes clean.”

Although amateur growers are encouraged to enter flowers for Saturday morning’s judging, don’t bring any with brown spots, Vierra warned. The fungus can spread to other flowers on display.

“We won’t accept browned or infected flowers,” she said. “We’ll throw them right in the trash.”

For more on petal blight, visit www.americancamellas.com . For more on the 95th annual Sacramento Camellia Show: www.camelliasocietyofsacramento.org .

Petal blight can turn a camellia into brown mush.

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Keywords:

Sacramento Sacramento Camellia Show brown flowers American Camellia Society Julie Vierra camellias petal blight

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Garden Checklist for week of April 21

This week there’s plenty to keep gardeners busy. With no rain in the immediate forecast, remember to irrigate any new transplants.

* Weed, weed, weed! Get them before they flower and go to seed.

* April is the last chance to plant citrus trees such as dwarf orange, lemon and kumquat. These trees also look good in landscaping and provide fresh fruit in winter.

* Smell orange blossoms? Feed citrus trees with a low dose of balanced fertilizer (such as 10-10-10) during bloom to help set fruit. Keep an eye out for ants.

* Apply slow-release fertilizer to the lawn.

* Thoroughly clean debris from the bottom of outdoor ponds or fountains.

* Spring brings a flush of rapid growth, and that means your garden is really hungry. Feed shrubs and trees with a slow-release fertilizer. Or mulch with a 1-inch layer of compost.

* Azaleas and camellias looking a little yellow? If leaves are turning yellow between the veins, give them a boost with chelated iron.

* Trim dead flowers but not leaves from spring-flowering bulbs such as daffodils and tulips. Those leaves gather energy to create next year's flowers. Also, give the bulbs a fertilizer boost after bloom.

* Pinch chrysanthemums back to 12 inches for fall flowers. Cut old stems to the ground.

* Mulch around plants to conserve moisture and control weeds.

* From seed, plant beans, beets, cantaloupes, carrots, corn, cucumbers, melons, radishes and squash.

* Plant onion sets.

* In the flower garden, plant seeds for asters, cosmos, celosia, marigolds, salvia, sunflowers and zinnias.

* Transplant petunias, zinnias, geraniums and other summer bloomers.

* Plant perennials and dahlia tubers for summer bloom.

* Mid to late April is about the last chance to plant summer bulbs, such as gladiolus and tuberous begonias.

* Transplant lettuce seedlings. Choose varieties that mature quickly such as loose leaf.

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