Last fall my townhome association planted 5 lilac bushes by the corner of my unit. About a month ago (mid-April), it snowed for a couple of days. I was worried about the lilacs, since they had already leafed out & started to bud, but I didn't know what to do to protect them.
Now the flowers have come out on most of the bushes, but they are pathetically small (maybe I have a dwarf variety?), and on one bush, the buds never opened at all - just wilted. The leaves are wilted too. When I water the bushes (once a week - I read that lilacs don't like overwatering), they will perk up for a few hours, but the next day, they look wilted again.
Upon closer examination, I noticed some of the leaves have large brown spots where portions of the leaves have died. Also, on one bush, on some of the leaves, there are white spores (I think that's what they are) along the top side of the veins. One leaf has the spores more spread out - not limited to the veins.
My townhome association will fine me and charge me for the cost of replacing these bushes if they die.
Help! Can somebody tell me what's wrong with my bushes, & what I can do to fix the problem? (Sorry, I don't have a digital camera to be able to upload pictures.)Thanks.
Melanie
Prospect Heights, IL
