What few Buxus we have left on our nursery are treated once or twice a year as a preventative measure but its not ideal.
The architects we work with no longer specify Buxus and have moved on to Ilex Crenata/Aquifolium, Euonymus and Sarcococca (and Taxus of course). So much so that there can often be supply issues with the aforementioned which hints at the popularity as attitudes change.
Fair play to Bede for persevering if time and resources permit, personally I'd be thinking of an alternative as a way of future proofing my garden.
Yeh this box moth issue in the south particularly is a joke. I was reading on RHS they only recently entered the UK through imported plants in 2007 and has spread like wildfire. I have this lovely quite large box that has been badly attacked. I wanted another box as the current one is at the opening to a pathway so would like one on either side. When I went to a local nursery to see if they had an established one of the same size it was £200 for half the size! So I hope they haven't ruined it my one as I can't afford to replace it. I'm meticulously removing the caterpillars every day. It's a nightmare.
I wanted some more general box hedge advice if anyone would be so kind:
> Firstly, my box has minimal growth at the base as per the below picture. I've pruned it back to expose more of the lower branches to sunlight. I've also fed and mulched it earlier in spring. Anything else I can do?
> Secondly there are some large holes in random places especially at the top (circled in lower picture). What's the best way to fix this? Do I need to prune it back so it is level with the bottom of the hole?
@Alfie_ The large holes are a result of the plant getting too big. It can't support the long stems they move about creating the gaps. I have pruned a large box from 4/5 ft down to two feet. It was a strange shape no leaves left as such. It did regrow over 2 years into a tight compact plant. The part at the bottom will regrow slowly, after all they are slow growing plants.Any cutting back should be done on a dull still day. Placing something to catch the cuttings is worth doing. You can prune in minutes and spend ages clearing up.
I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
@GardenerSuze thank you. It is about 5 foot. With all the moths near the ends of the stems should I kill two birds with one stone and hard prune until the holes have gone?
@Alfie_ If this is a question of 'kill or cure' I would give it a go. The box that I cut back was before caterpiilar was around so it's recovery was more certain. You won't be left with a thing of beauty.
RHS website does refer to old neglected plants and hard pruning. The caterpillar can be found deep inside the plant, so spraying has to be deep not easy, successful or healthy for humans.
I grow Euonymous Green Pillar or E Jean Hughes you can find mature plants in spheres and cones. Not the same tight leaves but worth consideration if all else fails.
That does sound like a lot of money for one box plant and if it was a good size it could well suffer from the problems you mentioned earlier. They don't have to be large plants to make an impact. If you do go for a second plant be aware that there are different forms with slightly different leaves. Take a few clippings would be my thought when choosing, if you want a good match.
I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
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But you are everywhere, one either comes before or after, it's random.
"Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
The architects we work with no longer specify Buxus and have moved on to Ilex Crenata/Aquifolium, Euonymus and Sarcococca (and Taxus of course). So much so that there can often be supply issues with the aforementioned which hints at the popularity as attitudes change.
Fair play to Bede for persevering if time and resources permit, personally I'd be thinking of an alternative as a way of future proofing my garden.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
When you don't even know who's in the team
S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
I wanted some more general box hedge advice if anyone would be so kind:
> Firstly, my box has minimal growth at the base as per the below picture. I've pruned it back to expose more of the lower branches to sunlight. I've also fed and mulched it earlier in spring. Anything else I can do?
> Secondly there are some large holes in random places especially at the top (circled in lower picture). What's the best way to fix this? Do I need to prune it back so it is level with the bottom of the hole?
Thanks for any advice offered.
The part at the bottom will regrow slowly, after all they are slow growing plants.Any cutting back should be done on a dull still day. Placing something to catch the cuttings is worth doing. You can prune in minutes and spend ages clearing up.
The box tree moth seems to prefer the shady side and the shady underneath. THose are the areas to prioritise in your search.
"Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
You won't be left with a thing of beauty.
RHS website does refer to old neglected plants and hard pruning.
The caterpillar can be found deep inside the plant, so spraying has to be deep not easy, successful or healthy for humans.
I grow Euonymous Green Pillar or E Jean Hughes you can find mature plants in spheres and cones. Not the same tight leaves but worth consideration if all else fails.
That does sound like a lot of money for one box plant and if it was a good size it could well suffer from the problems you mentioned earlier. They don't have to be large plants to make an impact.
If you do go for a second plant be aware that there are different forms with slightly different leaves. Take a few clippings would be my thought when choosing, if you want a good match.