R. Hawkins of Olive, IL writes in with two questions:

“have red twig dog wood bushes, starting in august a blackspot covers the beautiful leaves, what caqn this be and how can i prevent it? also i hear that there is a boor(or bore?) coming my way and will kill my ash trees, help!”

Let’s start with the black spot on your red twig dogwood. The first thing I would do is diligently clean up any diseased leaves and trash them. Do not put them in your compost pile. Black spot is a fungal disease that will continue to persist if the leaves are kept near the plants or put into your compost. You can look at applying a fungicide as well or look at compost tea applications to control it as well. However, I suggest you get a proper diagnosis from a local horticulturist, master gardener or nursery before you apply anything. Your plants should be able to withstand infestations of black spot, but it can certainly become unsightly. Plus, you miss out on fall leaf color!

The Elm Borer you’re concerned about is something I suggest you discuss with a local arborist. I’m not sure if your area is infested or how the community is managing infestations. Certainly, these pests can destroy elms, and often removing elms is the solution. But, again, working with a local professional is probably the best advice I can offer.