Dear Cinda,

Thank you for contacting us about the leaf spots on plants throughout your garden. Leaf spots are caused by a number of 
ubiquitous fungal pathogens. They are in the air as well as the soil, and they can take hold whenever the conditions for them are right. Cool, wet springs followed by warm, dry summers provide the perfect combination for fungal leaf spots.

Fungal diseases are common with our weather conditions. The leaf spots are unsightly but not usually dangerous to your plants. Once a fungal disease arises, it is very difficult to get rid of it. Copper sprays or bordeaux mix may help, but the key to effective management is prevention and containment.* 

• Choose the right plant for the site based on sun, soil, and soil moisture.
• Choose resistant varieties of plants when available
• Prune plants to allow good airflow through and between them.
• Clean up plant debris regularly and especially after the leaves drop in the autumn.
• Use 2 to 3 inches of wood chips or another organic mulch at all times to reduce reinfection through rain splash. Mulch will also retain moisture in the soil and help prevent soil compaction.

 We can't do much about the weather. Unfortunately, the same can be said of many fungal leaf spots. I do hope this information helps you to contain the problem. 

*A fairly effective preventative measure to use before a fungal infection sets in is to spray plants with a 1:3 mixture of 2% milk and water. However, it may not practical to spray all of your plants.

I removed almost every leaf from my pear tree. All the other trees I removed about 1/3. Was this a good idea or more harmful then helpful?

Also, my strawberries are all infected and I read that you’re supposed to mow them down. Is that true? Should I remove all of the leaves from them as well?
What I don’t know is if this fungicide will prevent the fruit from growing. 
I’m not concerned about my strawberries this year as they are year one. But I am concerned about what they will produce next year.

I have straw as mulch around all of my plants.
do I need to dispose of the straw?
I’ve read so much on the Internet and I just don’t want to get things wrong. 
I really appreciate your advice.

Dear Cinda,

Thanks for the additional information. The reason I did not recommend removing spotted leaves is because they do not normally cause damage to the plant. Removing the leaves reduces the plant's ability to photosynthesize. Without the ability to make food, the plant may weaken and die. If your trees are able to refoliate, they may make it through the summer but they may not be able to make it through the winter. 

Perhaps we should back up a bit and go through the process of Integrated Pest Management (IPM). IPM looks for the least toxic controls needed to be effective. When there is a problem with a plant, the critical step is to correctly identify the pest or disease. Without this information it is not possible to select the appropriate course of action. 

Next, determine whether action is truly needed. Pest damage, fungal spots, even some wilting are all normal in many circumstances ,so determine your tolerance. If a pest is present and exceeds your threshold for damage, use the least toxic remedy that is effective. Control methods are (in order) cultivation, mechanical, biological, and lastly chemical controls. For more, see IPM for Home Gardeners
https://youtu.be/wr2R6k77EgQ

Since your fungal issues affect nearly all of your plants, I would not recommend removing any but the most unsightly leaves, otherwise you may do more harm to the plant than the fungal infection. 

The law requires that all fungicides (an other pesticides)  must be used according to the package directions. The label will specify on which plants the product may be used, when, and how much. When used as directed, it should not harm your plants. The product label should also indicate whether it is safe for use on food crops and how long you should wait before harvest. If you have questions, you should call the toll-free number on the label and talk with the manufacturer.  

With regard to strawberries, this article may be helpful. 
https://extension.umn.edu/strawberry-farming/strawberry-end-season-renovation

OSU recommends purchasing new strawberry plants each year, but if you choose to reuse the existing plants note that fungal spores may overwinter in the soil. I suggest cutting the foliage an inch or so above the crowns and raking up all plant debris and mulch. Replace the straw and fertilize as usual. 

I do hope your plants remain healthy in spite of the fungal spots. If you have an especially bad problem that jeopardizes your trees, I suggest you take plant samples to the Marion County Extension office for closer inspection: 
1320 Capitol St NE #110, Salem, OR 97301
Garden Help Desk: 503.373.3770

Dear Cheryl,

That's a tough one. If it were me, I would mow/cut them back and replace the straw now. If they don't make it through until next year, at least you will be one step ahead of the spots.

Good luck,

Dear Cinda,

Thanks for writing back about fertilizing your strawberries. As with pesticides, fertilizers should always be used according to the product label. One of the many reasons for this is that fertilizers differ in how fast they work and how strong the formula is. 

Compost is not a fertilizer, but it does provide nutrients. It feeds the soil by supporting all of the living micro-organisms. It also improves the texture (tilth) of the soil, regulates temperature of the soil, and increases the moisture retaining qualities. This is why we recommend applying up to an inch of finished compost each year. It can be bagged or make your own. It would be good to apply some compost after cutting your strawberries. Over the course of a few years, your soil will becomes healthier, and the need to use fertilizers may decrease.

Fertilizers are a confusing subject, so bear with me on this. The numbers on the bag indicate the proportionate amounts of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) in that order. Manufacturers mix fertilizers that will do well for most plants most of the time. The combinations of N-P-K are not so important because plants need all nutrients, but they actually use different nutrients at different times depending on their stage of growth. 

The packaging for Espoma Berry Tone shows that it contains 4-3-4. This is the same as applying 8-6-8 or 12-9-12 except that these last two would be stronger, so you would not want to use as much. (Back to the importance of following the label directions!) 

Usually, the biggest difference between organic and conventional (non-organic) fertilizers is the time it takes for the nutrients to become available to your plants. Regardless of which type of fertilizer you use, the nutrients must be broken down to a molecular level that can be absorbed by plants.

Organic fertilizers are often not as highly processed (the molecules are larger and contain carbon), so they may take longer to work. This is not necessarily a bad thing since plants don't generally need nutrients fast. Conventional fertilizers are sometimes treated to be slow-release which makes them last longer in the soil. In either case, there is no difference to the plant. The nutrients are all exactly the same. So, it is purely a personal choice as to whether you wish to use organic or conventional. 

So, my suggestion is to apply some finished compost after  you mow your plants. (You can actually add compost any time.) Then apply fertilizer according to the schedule and amounts indicated on the package.

I hope I haven't overwhelmed you with information again. Good luck with your strawberries and write again anytime.