Here the boxes all got devoured earlier in the year and then when people were hoping they were coming back, with regrow, the moths devoured them again. They are all pretty much dead and brown and lots have been ripped up. Our neighbours have one that was planted in the 1950's and its coming out. I just don't think there is a realistic option to keep free of the moths in future years and it's probably worth the pain now to save it in the future.
All the box apart from the low hedge in the front garden has gone. Even that has been attacked again in spite of nematodes being applied, bt it doesn't look quite as bad as l was expecting to be honest. I haven't looked at it too closely though.
Most of our neighbours have got rid of theirs. Apparently the caterpillars went through the estate at a rate of knots.
One advantage is having more room for planting, as soon as we get any rain worth mentioning
I have posted on other boxtree threads. I am not averse to spraying. My systemic spay after flowering in ca May, might have worked. And the fluffy white flies had left. Certainly the many boxes are all green with np sign of caterpillars or die back'apart from small areas where cats or other animals have pee-ed.
There is NO substitute for small-leaved box. Perhaps yew if you have the pockets and the patience.
location: Surrey Hills, England, ex-woodland acidic sand. "Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
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Even that has been attacked again in spite of nematodes being applied, bt it doesn't look quite as bad as l was expecting to be honest.
I haven't looked at it too closely though.
Most of our neighbours have got rid of theirs. Apparently the caterpillars went through the estate at a rate of knots.
One advantage is having more room for planting, as soon as we get any rain worth mentioning
There is NO substitute for small-leaved box. Perhaps yew if you have the pockets and the patience.
"Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
Don't give up on box. Now the neighbours have gone box-free, you will get less moth visitors.
"Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."