Does anyone know what's happening to my blood sorrel? (Rumex sanguinea)

Hi Lee-Roy. That looks like possible leaf spot. One of the few problems Rumex has.


http://www.missouribotanicalga...

Should I ditch the whole plant or....?

That's a nice big plant to just give it the heave-ho. I'm thinking you've had a pretty cool, rainy summer?

You could try a couple of different home-made fungicide remedies like spraying the leaves with milk, or a solution of baking soda and water. (a spoonful of soda to a liter of water) It won't 'cure' the leaves that already have spots but as the plant grows new, clean leaves if you keep the stuff on them they will stay clean.

Clean the plant up some, by removing all the dead and dying leaves right away, and throw them in the trash, don't compost them. Keep any leaves with mostly green on them, until the plant grows some new ones then keep removing the spotted ones gradually to get rid of the fungal spores.

Great advice Elaine. I was searching out remedies and that was one of the suggestions.

If it were me, I would remove and ALL the leaves and let it start new. Put them in the garbage to be take away, so the spores can spread. Get every bit, and all the dead and detached leaves too. Then when it regrows, diligently watch for the leaf disease, and try the remedies if needed.

This method is usually the easiest option, and it is my first choice for several kinds of maladies, as many problems are only a problem for a certain time of year. This is how I control leaf miners on columbine, for instance.