The cool, rainy weather the past several weeks has been ideal for gardening. Unfortunately, it has also been perfect for the development of several fungal diseases of shade trees. Probably the most noticeable is sycamore anthracnose.

However, sycamores are not the only tree species able to get this disease. Several other shade trees around town are starting to show signs of this seasonal disease.

	Sycamores are not the only victims. Anthracnose diseases are also being found on other trees.

Here is what you can do to help clean up after the disease and get your trees back in shape for summer.

Anthracnose is a fungal disease with several phases. The most apparent right now is called shoot blight. The fungus girdles the succulent new stem and causes all the emerging leaves on the shoot to wilt and die. I have seen trees where up to 90 percent of the developing shoots have been killed.

Although the damage looks devastating, sycamores have a remarkable ability to recover. In another couple of weeks, new shoots will appear. These shoots are unlikely to be blighted because warmer weather is not as favorable for fungal infection.

By mid-June, trees will be fully leafed out, and in most cases you will not even know the tree had anthracnose.

Fungicides can be applied to newly developing shoots in the spring, but this is difficult to do on large trees, and is rarely done. Fungicides such as Alamo and Arbotect can be injected into trees in the fall to help protect against spring infection. However, this treatment should only be considered for specimen trees or those that have suffered perennially from the disease. Injecting trees at this time will do no good.

Sycamores are not the only victims. Anthracnose diseases are also being found on other trees. Ash anthracnose is causing blotches at the leaf margins. Maple anthracnose can be seen as small, dark brown to black spots on silver and sugar maples. These spots usually are associated with leaf veins and may coalesce to form larger streaks or blotches on the leaves.

Elm black spot, sometimes referred to as anthracnose, occurs on most elms, but it is most severe on Siberian and Chinese elms. Small yellow spots initially develop on the upper leaf surface. On susceptible elms, the spots may enlarge and blight entire leaves and succulent shoot growth.

All these diseases subside with hot weather, so fungicide applications now are probably not warranted. Clean up the fallen leaves and watch the new, healthy leaves emerge.

Bruce Chladny is horticulture agent at K-State Research and Extension-Douglas County. For more information, call him at 843-7058 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays.