Box blight

Posts

• Plantminded Posts: 3,580

  3 March edited 3 March

  Unfortunately I think you’re right, it’s blight @Janie B.

  Wirral. Sandy, free draining soil.
  
  
  

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• ViewAhead Posts: 866

  3 March

  You wouldn't expect to see webbing or caterpillars this early.  Your picture looks like every bit of box in my neighbourhood, munched to a stalk by the little beasties.  If your hedge looked fine last November and the damage has all happened over winter, I will apologise to the caterpillars for blaming them. 😉 

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• Lizzie27 Posts: 12,494

  3 March

  I think it looks more like box caterpillar damage as well. I've had to remove most of my dwarf box hedges altogether, couldn't cope with the constant battling against them.

  North East Somerset - Clay soil over limestone

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• Janie B Posts: 963

  3 March edited 3 March

  Thx, all. 
  
  Pretty sure the hedge looked ok in November, think I would've noticed it... Well, either box blight or the moth, I guess the only answer is to get rid... oh my, I've loads of it all around the 'rose garden'!!!
  
  I understand that euonymus may be a good substitute, that seems to be growing healthily in other parts of the garden... 

  Lincolnshire

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• Plantminded Posts: 3,580

  3 March edited 3 March

  If it’s blight, the leaves will have gone brown and dropped off beneath the plants. If it’s the caterpillar, there will be no leaf litter below the plants as the caterpillars will have eaten the leaves! 

  
  

  Euonymus is an alternative @Janie B, I grow E. Green Spire as a low border hedge. It’s easy and undemanding but slow growing until it gets established.

  
  
  
  

  Wirral. Sandy, free draining soil.
  
  
  

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• GardenerSuze Posts: 5,692

  3 March

  I would be on the look out for the caterpillar from the end of March onwards. I have found them that early.

  I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.

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• Ceres Posts: 2,698

  3 March

  Janie B said:

  I understand that euonymus may be a good substitute, that seems to be growing healthily in other parts of the garden... 

  Beware of euonymus scale. It's yet another wretched pest that is attacking our plants.
  
  

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• bédé Posts: 3,095

  4 March edited 4 March

  I think boxtree moth.  Plenty of posts.
  
  Start now, the season is advanced.  Perhaps, stop-start.  I had my first tick in January.

   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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• Janie B Posts: 963

  4 March

  Thanks for the warning of euonymus scale @Ceres ... thought it was pretty bomb-proof... is there any other low maintenance hedging that would be suitable for around a rose bed? 
  

  Lincolnshire

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• Plantminded Posts: 3,580

  4 March

  Privet, Rosemary or Lonicera nitida are other possibilities. Or you could use an ornamental grass like Nassella tenuissima which is evergreen and self levelling.
  

  Wirral. Sandy, free draining soil.
  
  
  

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