Bacterial twig blight

Young twigs turn dark and die with lesions at branch nodes. This bacterial disease enters through wounds. Prune affected twigs and sterilize tools.

Remove blighted tissue promptly, cutting well below visible symptoms. Improve air circulation by thinning dense growth. Avoid overhead watering, especially during bloom and new growth periods when tissues are most susceptible. For recurring problems, preventive fungicide applications timed to protect new growth can reduce infection, but cultural controls should be your first approach.