Question
It seems as if I have sooty mold on the shrubs in the front bed of the house.  I've had little black flies on them this summer. You recommended to another person with this issue that they spray the bushes with horticulture oil in the spring.  Will the bushes be okay through the winter if I wait until spring to spray them?  Is there something I can do now to help them stay strong?  I'm afraid of loosing them, especially since they usually look so bright during the fall - and frankly, they look awful right now.
Thanks.

Answer
Colleen,
I would recommend using a horticultural soap and oil mixture in a hose end sprayer to wash off as much of the mold as possible. The sooty mold is blocking the photosynthetic process and is weakening the plants.
Give them a good shot of fertilizer this fall and keep them as healthy as possible.
Good luck.
Ed Gulliksen