“What should I spray on my hydrangeas?” a friend asked. Since it is late summer, I suspected the problem was something I have seen many times. “Are there spots on the leaves? Purple ones?”

“Yes! How did you know?” she asked.

My friend’s hydrangeas have been colonized by a leaf-spot fungus. Is there a way to banish the fungus and save the spotted leaves with a fungicide? In a word, no. And that is perfectly fine. Here is why.

At this time of year, deciduous leaves are basically exhausted. (I bet you can empathize.) Since spring, they have endured munching caterpillars and chewing beetles, repelled invading fungus and withstood whipping winds, desiccating drought and pounding rainstorms, all while silently doing the remarkable work of turning sunlight, air and water into sugar and oxygen

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