Why Does My Columbine Look Unhealthy?

Are the stems, leaves, buds, and flowers covered with gray mold, leaves may be blotched or discolored?

Are the seedlings dying and the stems are girdled or rotted at soil line?

Are the leaves covered with white powder?

Do the leaves have pale areas on upper surfaces and "downy" patches underneath?

Are the leaves curled and distorted?

Do the leaves have feeding damage that started on the edges?

Are there any irregular serpentine tunnels in the leaves?

Do the stems break off easily?

Are the leaves covered in coarse stippling and may appear silvery?

Gray mold on stems, leaves, buds, and flowers is caused by fungal disease - Botrytis blight. You can prevent Botrytis blight disease by planting in areas with good air circulation. Water plants sparsely. Severely infected plants should be removed. Spray weekly with a copper fungicide until the disease is under control.

If your seedlings are falling over and the stems are girdled or rotted at the soil line, the most likely cause is a damping-off disease. Remove and destroy all infected plants. To prevent damping-off let the soil surface dry between waterings, thin seedlings to avoid overcrowding and do not add nitrogen fertilizers until plants have developed leaves.

White, powdery patches on the leaves are caused by a fungal disease Powdery mildew. Powdery mildew usually appears in damp places. Encourage good air circulation around the affected plants by thining them and any surrounding plants. Water plants from bellow to keep foliage dry. Any affected leaves should be cut off and removed. The appropriate fungicidal spray will protect your plant from further infections.

Pale areas on upper surfaces of the leaves and "downy" patches underneath are caused by Downy mildew. This fungus spreads quickly during cool, wet nights and warm, humid days. Leaves will wilt and die. Remove and destroy all affected plant parts and encourage good air circulation around plants by thining them. Water plants early in the morning to make sure they dry before nightfall.

Distorted and curled leaves are caused by aphids. These tiny insects cluster under leaves and on growing tips where they feed on plant sap. Leaves, stems, and buds get distorted and later leaves and flowers drop from the plant. You can control them by washing them off the plant with water spray. Insecticidal soap should be used with severe infestations.

Columbine sawfly larvae are small green caterpillars that can defoliate plants. Feeding begins on the leaf edges and progresses inward and the caterpillars often hide under the leaves if they know someone is approaching. Handpick and remove all caterpillars, or use an insecticidal soap.

Tunnels in leaves are caused by leafminers. These tiny fly larvae feed within the leaves in meandering mines that become wider as the larvae grow. Prune off and destroy all infested leaves. Remove debris in fall because it might contain overwintering leafminers. Introducing parasitic wasps is a very effective method of controlling leafminers.

Stalk borers are long, thin, striped caterpillars that eat their way through stalk centers. Small, round stem holes may betray their presence. Once plants are visibly affected, there is no cure. If borers are a regular problem, spray plants with BTK early in the season as borers enter plants.

These symptoms may indicate thrips. Thrips are tiny, yellow to black flying insects. Severely infected plant parts should be removed and destroyed. Control thrips by introducing lady beetles or lacewings, their natural predators. Insecticidal soap helps in severe infestations.

Yellow, stunted plants and roots that have swollen galls indicate root-knot nematodes. Other symptoms are plants wilting during bright, hot days. Prevent root-knot nematodes by applying chitin or introducing parasitic nematodes to the soil before planting. Solarizing the soil also helps in preventing root-knot nematodes.