How to Treat Dieback in Scotch Heathers

Scotch Heather is a beautiful shrub that blooms with brilliant purple flowers in the spring. Identifying dieback on scotch heather is disheartening, especially since most garden professionals suggest that it's best to destroy the entire plant to avoid spreading the disease. Here's how to properly rid scotch heather of dieback to get your shrub healthy again.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Recognize the signs of scotch heather dieback early. Early treatment minimizes the damage done to the surrounding plants and helps to better contain the damage. Look for dieback on shoots and a grey discoloration of foliage, both of which are telltale signs that you have a dieback problem.

2. Dig up your scotch heather, roots and all. Removing all the roots helps to ensure you have gotten the diseased plant out and that it will not spread the disease any further.

3. Destroy the diseased plant. Simply bag and transport the plant to the landfill, or you burn the plant in a brush pile. Whichever method you choose, be sure to pick up the left over debris and properly dispose of it.

4. Remove all soil from the diseased plant's former location. This is necessary to keep any new heathers from experiencing the same fate. Remove the soil from the surrounding area as well to keep any other scotch heather plants from acquiring dieback as well.

5. Replace the soil with fresh topsoil and check its origin. Use topsoil from a local supply store and ask them where they got it. You don't want to add to your problem by placing soil contaminated with sludge or some other disease in your garden. Although microbes are essential to the health of your plants, the wrong ones will pose a problem.