HEDGING > BOX > BLIGHT

IN THIS templet

BOXWOOD GUIDES

a partially infected box hedge with varying colouration

Box BlightFeedingPruning

Box blight is a fungal disease that can pose major problem for gardeners with boxful hedge .

In this clause , we will introduce this common problem , and tattle through what you may do to parcel out with this outcome in an organic garden .

buxus shrub that has turned fully brown as a result of blight

Quarantine box coming from garden centres

What Is Box Blight?

Box blight is a fungal contagion which impacts box hedge or topiary .

Two genic types of fungus calledCylindrocladium buxicolaare responsible for this problem.1Henricot , B. , & Culham , A. ( 2002 ) . Cylindrocladium buxicola , a new coinage affecting Buxus spp . , and its phylogenetic status . Mycologia,94(6 ) , 980–997.https://doi.org/10.1080/15572536.2003.11833155

In an constitutional garden , you will plain forefend the use of man-made antimycotic , but in any typesetter’s case , fungicides alone are rarely able-bodied to bring around the problem.2Box blight . ( n.d . ) . Royal Horticultural Society . find April 25 , 2023 , fromhttps://www.rhs.org.uk/disease/box-blight

brown leaves and early symptoms of box blight

Box blight can be a serious trouble , and it is important to persist vigilant .

The sooner you spot the problem , the more likely it is that you will be able to economize your plant .

Box blight is the most serious of a number of infections which can present problem for box .

buxus with box blight and brown leaves next to a healthy plant

However , all is not lost – the beneficial news is that box blight does not affect the plant life roots , only the above - flat coat growth .

Identifying Box Blight

First thing first , it is important to be able-bodied to blot boxwood blight and identify it correctly .

When buxus is infect with box blight :

Another fungous disease , Volutella blight , may ab initio be confused for box blight .

magnified close up of box affected by blight

This too leads to twig and folio dieback – but black streak characteristic of box seat blight do not form and the shrubs will not typically lose their leaves with this infection .

One other cardinal way to state box blight aside from this somewhat less serious job is that in the subject of Volutella blight , the fungal spore batch under the leave will be pink and not whitened .

Preventative Measures

While you’re able to often rescue genus Buxus which has a box seat blight contagion , of course bar is better than cure .

Box blight disperse very easily , and can still arrive in your garden in spite of your best efforts .

But there are sure things you’re able to do to make it less likely that loge blight will arrive , reduce the chances of it have clutches , and make it easier to get by the problem if it does .

dead branches, brown leaves and visible white fungus caused by box blight

“ Mulch , turn out your plant down less and verify you clean your prick whenever make do with your plants , ” suggests Darren Lerigo , a extremity of the European Boxwood and Topiary Society .

Avoid Introducing It Into Your Garden

While blight can still arrive in your garden , taking these steps will help manage the risk and could keep your garden box blight free .

Create Less Favourable Conditions

Treating A Minor Box Blight Problem

If you do see box blight in your garden , you must deal with the problem as soon as potential .

The quick you are able-bodied to tackle the problem , the more probable it is that plant can be saved and the easier containment will be .

If you spot loge blight :

topiary planters in a garden centre

Quarantine box coming from garden centres

Since it is potential that other area not yet showing symptoms will be affected , you will probably not forthwith extinguish the problem , but you could thin spreading .

you may also repeat this unconscious process as and when other symptoms show .

Treating A Major Box Blight Problem

alas , sometimes a major boxful blight trouble can set in before gardener are cognisant of the job .

In some cases , it may be best to cut your losses and remove the affected plant entirely .

However , in many cases , even a loge hedgerow or slice of topiary with many touched areas can still be salvage through careful and yet rather drastic action .

healthy circular box which has been heavily mulched

In some vitrine , even hack back this much may not be sufficient .

With severe cases , you may necessitate to take more drastic action to save prized box plants .

In this case you might :

hand shown pruning buxus shrub with secateurs

Buxus Alternatives

In areas where box blight is a major problem , or where serious outbreaks have already occurred , it is normally easy to forgo box altogether .

When choosing new plants , or replacing box , it is best to prefer option rather than struggling on .

“ Despite my good efforts , Box blight repeatedly ravaged   the box hedge in my veg garden , ” portion out Colin Skelly , a Horticultural Consultant and Professional Gardener .

large pruning shears being used to cut back box

“ I supervene upon it withLonciera nitida , which is functional but does not match the attractiveness of Box and require cut several times during the growing time of year . ”

Some other options admit :

References

small euonymus fortunei shrub on garden gravel

Euonymus fortunei