Recognize and combat shotgun disease in cherry laurel

Recognize and combat shotgun disease in cherry laurel

The typical damage caused by the fungus

Small red-brown spots appear on the foliage of the cherry laurel. In the early stages of the disease, these can easily be confused with the harmless nectar glands of the wood. The brown spots slowly dry up until the plant finally sheds the necrotic tissue. The characteristic holes in the leaves of the infected bushes remain. Elongated, dark-colored necroses also appear on the branches of the cherry laurel. You can recognize these wounds by the somewhat sunken spots, in the middle of which there is often a rubber-like drop.

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Life cycle of the mushroom

The fungus first attacks the leaves and, as the disease progresses, also the shoot tips of the cherry laurel. It overwinters in the diseased leaves, in small twig wounds, on fruit mummies and in the shoot tips of the infected trees.

If warm, humid weather prevails in spring, the fungal disease spreads almost explosively as the spores are transported on by the precipitation. They land with raindrops or fog on the leaves of neighboring plants and infect them.

The fight against shotgun disease in cherry laurel

Since the fungus can be very stubborn, it is advisable to take consistent action against the spread of the plant disease from the first attack:

  • Remove all affected leaves and fruits and collect the fallen leaves.
  • Ideally, cut in dry weather to prevent the spores from spreading further.
  • Since the fungus survives in compost, all parts of the plant must be disposed of with household waste.
  • Spraying with alumina preparations as well as network sulfur Stulln have a gentle and environmentally friendly effect against shotgun.

If the shotgun disease cannot be contained by these measures, you can get highly effective chemical preparations in stores that are also approved for private gardens and that reliably kill the fungus.

Preventive measures

The same applies to the shotgun: "Prevention is better than cure." You can prevent the spread of the plant disease by taking the following measures:

  • Strong winter pruning to remove the shoot wounds.
  • Spray the bushes with copper oxychloride before they sprout.
  • Mulching makes it difficult for the spores in the soil to spread.

Tips & Tricks

The shotgun disease is favored by nitrogen-rich fertilization. Therefore fertilize with shotgun preferably with mature compost or manure, as these fertilizers only contain about 0.5 to 2 percent nitrogen.