Question
we have had beautiful vinca minor covering large parts of of our front yard for at least 20 years and this spring about 98% of it is dead!! we have it on both sides of our macadam driveway. there are little new sprigs of growth in both of the large dead areas. what could have happened to it and what can i do about it??? thanks for any help anyone can give me.

Answer
Rita:
This could be a fungus disease called branch and stem rot.  It is very common here in Arkansas, especially during the spring when there is a lot of overhead water from irrigations and rainfall.  The plants seem to "melt down".  They wilt and have obvious discolored stems. Some types of vinca have some resistance to this disease.I am including a web address to an article that I have written about this disease.  Check it out and see if the description matches your plant symptoms.  To view and print, you will need to have a small free program on your computer called Adobe Reader.  You can find it easily to download to your computer.

http://www.uaex.edu/Other_Areas/publications/PDF/FSA-7545.pdf


It will be best to have a plant sample examined in a lab to confirm this disease so as to approach the best management practices. Contact your local nursery/garden center for some help or you can contact your local county Extension office.  It is usually in the county seat or courthouse in your county.

Regards

Steve