Pink Dogwoods

Question

We purchased a pink dogwood tree from Lowe’s last spring. It was planted in a shady area where we previously had a white dogwood, which thrived for several years, but the pink dogwood immediately developed powdery mildew. Even though we sprayed it several times over the summer and kept it watered, the mildew never completely went away. Would it help to move it to a sunnier location?

Answer 1

Powdery mildew is normally attributed to fungal issues, especially in overly moist areas. The tree can be treated with neem oil, which will help alleviate the symptoms, but you should either allow the soil to dry out some or relocate the tree to another semi-shaded, well-draining area of the yard.