i just noticed this morning this whitish lesion on the branch of one of my small maples. It's like the bark just dried up in the affected area and started to flake off. Any ideas? Happy New Year, Kyle
Hi Kyle, too late to be definitive but probably a pseudomonas infection that is all finished. Could be freezing or some sort of other skin damage too, but whatever it is, it's over. You can cut back to clean wood now or even better a little later towards spring. If you cut now make sure to leave a nice stub above the clean bud pair. -E
If only one twig is affected, I'd think it's more of a "mechanical" problem, like the bark having been damaged one way or another, than a disease. Yep. And apply some fungicide before budbreak.
Thank you both for the quick responses. If I wait to cut back to clean wood till closer to spring do I still need to leave a stub? Also, any certain fungicide or active ingredient you'd recommend?