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Help - Sick Privet Hedge?
David Hope
Posts: 4
Hi,
I am a total beginner to gardening and need some help. In the early spring we planted a new privet hedge, and they all grew really well and looked great. However recently some of the plants (Approx 30%) have gone purple/brown/bronze?
Has anyone come across this before? What do i need to do?
Many thanks,
David
0
Posts
Hi, randomly spread really.
That could be either wilt or honey fungus. Scratch off a piece of bark, if the underneath is discoloured (it should be greenish in healthy plants) then it's more than likely wilt. A high potassium based feed (Tomato feed) will sort it out. If that doesn't work, then it may be honey fungus and that means doom for the hedge. Try the the tomato feed first.
Hi, thank you, i will try the tomato feed first.
What is autumn colour?
We had one cold night a few weeks ago, but its been mild since. I have an unfriendly neighbour but i dont think she would stoop that low! I hope! The ground isn't waterlogged. Thank you for your time much appreciated. Its a very long hedge so i really dont want it to die!
Many thanks,
David
I believe privet leaves do not turn colour in the Autumn and remain on the plant all year round.
They're semi evergreen but they don't discolour as much as in David's pix - or at least, I've never seen privet discolour like that. As it's a new hedge and we've had quite difficult weather conditions this year, I think it's more likely to be related to that, unless the plants were diseased in some way when David bought them.
David - did you have long hot dry spells during the summer? If so, they may have looked like they were establishing well - as you planted them in early spring when conditions would have been moist - but a long period without water may have affected a few that hadn't got going quite as well as the rest. Just a thought.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Thank you for all your advise, I have purchased some tomato feed and will give them some asap. How quickly will I know if this has helped them?
Thank you
I wouldn't rush to do anything. Let them find their feet. Feed when growth starts again next season
In the sticks near Peterborough
David, feed them now with the tomato feed only. The soil is still warm and they won't go dormant until the first decent frost. It will give them a boost before winter. In spring when you see the new growth start feed them again with the tomato feed and a few weeks later with a well balanced fertilizer.
I have just read the information on privet hedge problem. I am going to try the Tomato feed remedy and hope this helps If David reads this, perhaps he will let me know how he got on. Mine is an old hedge but down one and a half sides of the garden it is brilliant but at one side it is dyeing and therefor moving along the hedge.