Our 13-year-old Rhododendrons have been declining over three years, despite feeding, watering, and treating for bacterial infection. Leaves curl, turn brown at the tips, and appear pale with dark green veins, while undersides show tiny rusty/brown dots. What should I do?
It sounds like there are a couple of issues. The first is the soil content seems to off. If the leaves are chlorotic and you see the veins, then the soil is deficient in certain minerals. We can take a soil sample to determine this. The second issue could be a root rot disease called phytophthora root rot. We can take a root sample to find out and treat if needed. The last thing is a canker caused by environmental stress (lack of, or excessive moisture) and extreme winters. There is nothing to do for this but improve soil conditions and prune out infected branches. You can click here to schedule an appointment for us to come out for samples and in-person advice.
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