Pulmonaria in Peril!

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Jun 16, 2000

Yes, friends, I've gone and made myself a liar again. (I know---you're shocked).

For many years, I've told other gardeners that pulmonaria is the hardiest of all my perennials, that nothing wil eat it, it thrives under abuse, yadda yadda yadda.

Alas, disease has struck my favorite---and most established--- bed of 'Bertram Anderson' pulmonaria and is decimating it. These plants were the first ones I put in the ground when I decided to become a Real Gardener, and I have more than a passing affection for them.

Last summer, I had to be away from my garden, and no one was around to examine any infestations or dieases under a microscope
(as I tend to do when I'm at home). When I returned in August I found that my beloved pulmonaria had been almost wiped out by something which made it limp and brown. Plantlets came apart at the crown base and died away.

I assumed it was a mold and treated it as as such, with so-so results. Dan Heims, of Terra Nova Nursery, is the guru of pulmonaria. Here's what he says about mold :

" Mildew is a definite concern for the older forms of Pulmonaria (especially P. saccharata) and one should try to keep these plants in an open, airy position with no night-time or overhead watering. I have found that mildew can be brought on by drought stress which is another reason to use a moisture retentive but well draining compost."

I amended the bed, and hoped for the best this year. Drought stress is, if possible, worse this year than last year.

The same rotten culprit appeared again this year, after overwintering in our mild weather cycle. I used antifungal rememdies again. This time the disease got worse!

I wrote Dan Heims and to my relief, he wrote back promptly with the following suggestions and comments:

"This appears to be a bacterial rot that can attack Pulmonaria (esp. longifolia types) It is usually caused by too much water and unseasonably warm weather. Heavily fertilized plants seem to be subject as well. Try growing leaner, with better drainage. Scrape off all affected area, keep drier and spray with a copper spray or powder. Plants will return from the roots (even the worst ones) but much smaller. Transplant to better soil/drainage in the fall.

-D"

Thankfully, I've moved lots of separated plants from my original group of 'Bert' and put them all over the garden. It's only unhappy in its' original location, so maybe that's where the problem lies. It may be time to mix up the earth in that bedagain. Drainage is an area I can work to correct this fall. I have a tendency to overfertilize, so I'll try to hold myself back when I re-set the plants.

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