Forum home› Problem solving
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

Fungus or similar on hedge plants

hiacedrifterhiacedrifter Posts: 119
in Problem solving
I planted some bird/insect friendly hedge plants, and there are lots of discoloured leaves, which I presume are fungus. I'm loath to use fungicides, as I'm trying to encourage insects to them.

Does neem oil work? Or does that kill insects too?

Does this stuff work?

Growing Success Safer Gardening Fungus Stop 800ml - DeWaldens Garden Centre

Or do I just use this for a season and know it's probably harming the bugs too.

Scotts FungusClear Ultra Gun - DeWaldens Garden Centre

Will add pics of leaves once it stops raining!
«1

Posts

  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    Best to post some pics first before buying anything and hopefully we can then advise the best course of action.

    Neem oil won't work on fungal problems. It's non-toxic and only affects insects. It works by glueing them in place so they starve/suffocate.

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • TopbirdTopbird Posts: 8,355
    As Pete said, post some pics and we might be able to identify what the problem is.

    Absolutely no point in spraying until you know what the problem actually is. It could a bacterial infection, an insect related problem or it might be stress due to weather or soil issues. Spraying with fungicide won't clear any of those.
    Heaven is ... sitting in the garden with a G&T and a cat while watching the sun go down
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Or - it's just autumn....
    Most  green beech hedging is turning here, and that's slightly later than normal due to the warm weather in mid August, and the beech trees, along with horse chestnuts, are yellowing well. Many others are also turning, so it depends where you are and what the hedging is made up from, and what age it all is. Younger plants will turn more quickly too   :)

    Photos are necessary to give useful advice in this instance.
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • hiacedrifterhiacedrifter Posts: 119






    I think they're crab apple, planted winter 21/22, they have hardly grown!
  • StephenSouthwestStephenSouthwest Posts: 635
    edited September 2023
    I'm not sure, but my guess is that they've been allowed to dry out before the root system has got well established.

    How did you water them in the first few months?
    Are they in the rainshadow of the fence?
    I wouldn't spray them with anything, or feed them anything.
    If the ground looks dry I'd give them a couple of cans of water each, leave them to get their roots established over winter, and they should get going next year.
  • hiacedrifterhiacedrifter Posts: 119
    StephenSouthwest said:
    I'm not sure, but my guess is that they've been allowed to dry out before the root system has got well established.

    How did you water them in the first few months?
    Are they in the rainshadow of the fence?
    I wouldn't spray them with anything, or feed them anything.
    If the ground looks dry I'd give them a couple of cans of water each, leave them to get their roots established over winter, and they should get going next year.
    I hadn't even thought of lack of water. They were watered well for the first few weeks, and bark chippings laid around them as soon as planted. However since then I have only watered when lack of rain, and you're right they might not have got much rain due to fence (and a nearby goat willow that has shot up in the same timeframe). 

    Due to the willow also casting more shade than expected (the fence is north facing) I plan to move the plants at the end of the year, and put them somewhere sunnier. I will also make a point of watering them more often too.
  • bédébédé Posts: 3,095
    Pete.8 said:
    Neem oil won't work on fungal problems. It's non-toxic and only affects insects. It works by glueing them in place so they starve/suffocate.
    Neem Oil is toxic to insects.  I works by blocking their breathing..  It's just vegetable oil with a smell.
    nutcutlet said:.
    If you've planted anything for birds and insects leave the sprays in the garden centre. Sprays are for people that don't want the birds and insects
    Sprays are alos for people who don't want troublesome fungi.


     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."
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    edited September 2023

    bédé said:
    Pete.8 said:
    Neem oil won't work on fungal problems. It's non-toxic and only affects insects. It works by glueing them in place so they starve/suffocate.
    Neem Oil is toxic to insects.  I works by blocking their breathing..  It's just vegetable oil with a smell.


    Neem oil is not TOXIC (aquatic life being an exception) - as I said earlier it works by glueing them in place thereby preventing breathing and movement - but it does NOT poison them.

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    I agree with @StephenSouthwest -I'd say they're dry, or have been dry since planting, looking at the photos.
    It's easy to underestimate just how dry it is against a fence, even a north facing one, and if you add a goat willow into the picture....
    There's a lot of other stuff round the base too. It all prevents the plant you want getting what they need until established.
    It should come away more with autumn/winter weather, but it's worth tidying up all the border by removing any weeds, and adding a really good mulch of organic matter once the ground is well soaked. You may want to reconsider having the goat willow too, as it will keep taking moisture at the expense of other plants. 
    I wouldn't really consider a crab apple as a hedging plant either though. It would constantly be forfeiting the wildlife friendly benefits if it's used as a hedge, unless the hedge was going to be very large in all directions.  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Sign In or Register to comment.