Message Board - BigPumpkins.com

Walkerton Ont

This year there was a diease on the maple leaves. The maple leaves areound us had black spots on them, like a fundiscide. Would these leaves still be ok to mulch up and put on patch? I Dont want to do it if it causes a problem next season. Will it be broken down enough

11/5/2004 9:42:53 AM

Norway Maples particularly had a lot of Tar Spot here in New England this year & last. These are raised black lesions up to about the size of a quarter that look like (what else) tar spots. Too much rain has worsened the situation here but chemical controls are rarely justified.

The leaves are safe to add to the patch since this is a species specific disease that doesn't infect pumpkins.

11/5/2004 10:11:07 AM

Big Kahuna 26

Ontario, Canada.

Steve, same problem here in Central ON. What about the trees? Are there any lasting problems with them?

11/5/2004 12:17:47 PM

steelydave

Webster, NY

Around my house we had it pretty bad last year but not as much this year. From what I understand it's just not attractive, and doesn't really hurt the tree much, although, a really bad case could cause defoliation and doing that too many time could weaken the tree.

11/5/2004 6:39:11 PM

That's right. The few leaves that drop early are little cause for concern. I've never seen Tar Spot bad enough to defoliate a tree. But it could happen. If ever such a condition did present itself, then a couple well timed fungicides the following spring during leaf-out would be good. But as stated previously, this is pretty rare.

11/5/2004 6:50:40 PM

Walkerton Ont

my mom said there was a article about it and the article said that the leaves shouldnt be used in the soil. The spots here are not the size of quaters, they are really small spots. I dont know if its the same diease, probably is. Its just that i can get lost of leaves to add to my 4 - 5000 sqare foot patch. I just dont want to be sorry next year that i added this to my soil. SO the leaves should be ok right?

11/5/2004 7:13:30 PM

90% of the people who write newspaper garden article aren't qualified to do so. That said, they often do consult a qualified source. Perhaps you should contact a local authority to be sure we're talking about the same disease.

Here is a severe case on Silver Maple:

http://www.mntca.org/images/Acer%20s.%20-%20Tar%20Spot%202,%20Rhytisma%20salicinum%20-%20on%20grid%20-%209-7.jpg

Here's an article written in Canada:

http://www.glfc.cfs.nrcan.gc.ca/treedisease/tar_spot_e.html

I use leaves of this sort in our garden every year. Perhaps the article your Mom read was referring to infected leaves being used as a mulch around a succeptible host such as other Maples. But if this is the same disease, Pumpkins don't get it & you're safe.

11/5/2004 7:43:39 PM

Walkerton Ont

yeah it looks like the pics on the two links you provided tremor, so this diease should be alrigh right,and its ok to add leaves.

11/5/2004 7:48:27 PM

Walkerton Ont

but not that big

11/5/2004 7:54:23 PM