What Is Wrong With My Sweet Woodruff?

Do the leaves have large, ragged holes in them?

Are there any pale patches on leaves?

Are the leaves spotted or blotched?

Do the leaves have reddish or pale yellow areas on their upper side and dusty orange blisters on the undersides?

Large, ragged holes in the leaves are caused by slugs and snails. Slugs and snails feed on the plant leaves usually at night. To control slugs and snails use diatomaceous earth around your plants. You can also handpick them during the night or use shallow dishes filled with beer as a trap.

Downy mildew form pale areas on upper leaf surfaces and gray or white or purplish "downy" patches on undersides.

Your plants might be suffering from fungal leaf spots. Spots may enlarge rapidly, especially in wet weather. Destroy infected leaves or plants. Spray plants with sulfur to prevent the disease from spreading, especially if the weather is wet. Prevent problems by thinning plants to provide good air circulation.

Likely cause for these symptoms is a fungal disease - Rust. Provide good air circulation around plants by thining them. Avoid making leaves wet when watering. Remove and destroy all garden debris before spring. All infected leaves should be removed. Spray leaves with sulfur early in the season to prevent rust or to treat mild infections.

As the summer progresses sweet woodruff plants tend to grow leggy and rangy. They naturally collapse of their weight, their foliage withering, and browning except at the tips of the stems. Plants that lack moisture and/or are in sunny locations tend to do this earlier in the season. Locate sweet woodruff in the shade and keep the soil moist. Try cutting back plants that are showing signs of withering to encourage new growth.