If you’ve ever seen nasty lumps on your plants, especially near the soil line, you’ve probably encountered the widespread plant disease known as crown gall. This disease is the result of opportunistic bacteria that enter open wounds, causing abnormal growth. Even a tiny nick can give them access, so be very careful when pruning or harvesting.
Photo courtesy of timparkinson at Flickr.com.
Large crown galls up to several inches across are often seen on trees, especially fruit trees. Stone fruit and pome fruit trees (that is, apples, pears, and their relatives) are hardest hit. However, galls can occur in just about any tree, woody or otherwise, especially during warm weather. In the home garden, they tend to occur most often in roses and grapes.
To treat crown gall organically, prune away the bad parts, and be very careful to sterilize your tools with bleach after each cut. Completely remove seriously infected plants, and don’t put any new plants in the area for several years. DO NOT compost the diseased material; burn it if possible, or bury it at least a foot deep. If you’re pruning a woody plant for crown gall, spray wound paint over the cut section to keep the bacteria out.
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