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Buxus - dying or can be saved?

Andy163Andy163 Posts: 59
in Problem solving

Hi all

i have a number of large box shrubs, densely planted together to achieve a cloud shape once grown enough. They have been in the ground for a few years now but only this year a few of the plants have started to lose their colour in the leaves, i blame this to lack of nutrients as my mistake really but haven't fed them over the years. This year I have fed regularly with liquid seaweed to try and green up the foliage but nothing seems to be working, if anything it is getting worse. 

A the season is drawing to an end I am giving them a good feed with fish, blood and bone to hopefully get some food to the roots. 

I have done a fair bi of research and can't seem to find anything on diseases that relate to this. The leaves are going a yellowy orange colour and there is definitely no sign of blight.

Can any of you green fingers shed some light on this issue?

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Posts

  • BorderlineBorderline Posts: 4,700

    Sometimes, the leaves can turn that colour when stressed or facing some extreme weather conditions. Normally very cold winds, from very cold temperatures to very hot temperatures. You have done the right thing to feed them. The leaves still look quite healthy. Give them a prune next year in later spring, and hopefully they will improve. Going into winter, might be a good idea to lay a thick layer of bark mulch to help them settle more and conserve water better in future.

  • Lily PillyLily Pilly Posts: 3,845

    image

    Hi Your garden needs

    this is our box we have been working on for about 6 years. You may be able to see the circle is looking ok but the long hedges are still yellow and patchy. It's not the dreaded blight as we first thought. We feed once a year with seaweed and never cut after June. 

    do you have any dogs? Or dogs who may have access? Their wee is lethal to box!

    be interesting to see pictures in the spring Good luck

    Weeds are flowers, too, once you get to know them.”
    A A Milne
  • Andy163Andy163 Posts: 59

    Thanks for the info guys. 

    It could be down to many factors I guess all part of the fun of gardening really. I did think it might have been stress but they have been that colour all year so was worried something more serious might be happening.

    as for the dogs, we don't have them but have occasionally seen the odd dog wonder through.

    A garden lecturer once told me that pruning box in April will encourage branching out and more growth, so I will give them a prune around this time I think.

    thanks for the advice, I'll try remember to post a picture next year hopefully of them improving!

  • Lily PillyLily Pilly Posts: 3,845

    Morning, I am not sure where in the country you are but up here we never cut before Derby Day!

    good luck

    Weeds are flowers, too, once you get to know them.”
    A A Milne
  • BobFlannigonBobFlannigon Posts: 619

    I'd be surprised if a lack of nutrients would cause such a rapid decline.  I've only seen similar behaviour when I've had them in pots and haven't watered them enough.  It could manifest in the same way if something is damaging the roots.

    I think you're right to leave it for now and see how it gets on.  My experience with Box is that it's fairly tough and most things don't usually kill it off completely.

  • Allotment BoyAllotment Boy Posts: 6,774

    If it was a nutrition deficiency the liquid seaweed should have sorted it out. I think some of the other suggestions above are more likely.

    AB Still learning

  • Allotment BoyAllotment Boy Posts: 6,774

    I had another thought, is your soil acid? it could be chlorosis. I would have thought the seaweed would have fixed it but only if applied as a foliar spray. You might need to put some sequestered iron on if your soil is acid.

    AB Still learning

  • Andy163Andy163 Posts: 59

    Thanks Lain R

    yes the soil is acidic. I applied the liquid seaweed as a dollar spray thinking it would help the green up process but still no change.

    when the spring is under way I'll look into added some sequestered iron. Ive only just fed with fish blood and bone so thought I'd leave it for the winter now. Unless there are any suggestions for the winter period?

  • Tina.kaniouTina.kaniou Posts: 1
    After some research of my dying Buxus and all neighbouring Buxus', I found there to be 2 problems. One is Box Blight (back garden) a fungul disease and the other being box caterpillar (front garden). 
    With the Blight I completely cut down my buxus and started again... Seem to be flureshing, so far. And with the box caterpillar I hand picked every cacoon/caterpillar I could find. Also so far so good. Hope this helps
  • RubytooRubytoo Posts: 1,630
    Sorry my answer is along the lines of others already saying lack of food and water.
    I have had a bunch of buxus growing in pots for a number of years now.
    I looked at your top picture zoomed in on the green leaf areas, they appear to have a discoloured (yellowy?beige?) tip, then gradually go orange.
    I found this happened on some of mine that needed re-potting. Being in a row it noticed more as they were a uniform shape and size, but the ones in the slightly smaller pots had a noticeable yellow edge to start with. This condition improved after they had been potted on.
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