# Box hedging (Buxus Semperviren)



## GM (3 May 2020)

Looking for a bit of advise from our knowledgable CC' ers. I got 2 Box hedge trees in my front garden that look like they've been attacked by the Asian caterpillar. These trees must be at least 50 years old, and it would a shame to dig them up and destroy them. Does anybody know if they can be saved. Thanks in advance!


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## Tail End Charlie (3 May 2020)

They've had it I'm afraid. Dig out, replenish the soil and replace with something else.


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## furball (3 May 2020)

Think they might have had it.
Did you see any caterpillars?


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## Fab Foodie (3 May 2020)

Shouldn't this be in the Privet Matters section?


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## tom73 (3 May 2020)

Hard prune ,good feeding and watering maybe worth a go for small younger ones. 
But sadly not a lot you can do with ones that well established so time to say good bye.
Give area a good dig over dig add a good amount of compost and replant.


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## neil_merseyside (3 May 2020)

Box blight, big problem everywhere, remove and burn, don't plant Box again.


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## PaulSB (4 May 2020)

It looks like box blight to me. It's highly unlikely plants in this state can be brought back to life and even if successful the blight would return.

As above remove and burn. The soil beneath mature shrubs like these is likely to be in poor condition - very dry and lacking organic matter. As Tom advises dig in plenty of compost.

You need garden compost for this situation, well rotted organic matter from a compost heap. Don't use a peat based compost from a garden centre or DIY store. This will do little if anything to restore and improve the soil.


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## Rocky (4 May 2020)

Fab Foodie said:


> Shouldn't this be in the Privet Matters section?


I didn’t know you were a Hedge Fund manager.


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## PK99 (4 May 2020)

Fab Foodie said:


> Shouldn't this be in the Privet Matters section?



He's hedging his bets.


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## PK99 (4 May 2020)

GM said:


> Looking for a bit of advise from our knowledgable CC' ers. I got 2 Box hedge trees in my front garden that look like they've been attacked by the Asian caterpillar. These trees must be at least 50 years old, and it would a shame to dig them up and destroy them. Does anybody know if they can be saved. Thanks in advance!
> 
> View attachment 519799



Box tree moth!

Relatively new pest in the UK.

Google will tell you all you need but don't want to know.

I took many metres of box hedging, balls, pyramids put of my garden when it struck locally.

Control may be possible, but is expensive and very Labour intensive.


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## GM (4 May 2020)

Thanks for your prompt replies. Looks like I'm going to be busy as soon as we get our green bin emptied, hopefully this weekend. In the meantime I can plan what's going to replace them.


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## pawl (4 May 2020)

As above Blight I managed to save a pot grown one Pruned out one or two of the affected stems and repotted Obviously a lot smaller 

As others have said Box blight has become more prevalent over the last rear or two.


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## PK99 (4 May 2020)

pawl said:


> As above Blight I managed to save a pot grown one Pruned out one or two of the affected stems and repotted Obviously a lot smaller
> 
> As others have said Box blight has become more prevalent over the last rear or two.



Box blight damage







Box tree moth caterpillar damage






OP has Box Tree Moth not blight


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## pawl (4 May 2020)

I have f


PK99 said:


> Box blight damage
> 
> View attachment 519869
> 
> ...


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## GM (4 May 2020)

PK99 said:


> View attachment 519873



That's the little buggers! My wife found them on her potted rose plant which was nearby, but she moved it to the other end of the garden and it seems fine now.


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## rogerzilla (4 May 2020)

"These foreigners, coming over here, eating our box".


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## GM (4 May 2020)

furball said:


> Think they might have had it.
> Did you see any caterpillars?




I've started cutting it back and there are 100's of these little feckers! ....I may have accidentally bisected a couple, revenge is sweet!


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## furball (4 May 2020)

You could try cutting it back and spraying (probably a few times) with an appropriate insecticide and see if it comes recovers but that risk is they will be back.
Box blight is a fungal disease. Once you have that, the spores are in the soil and there is little chance of being able to grow box in the same spot.


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## PK99 (4 May 2020)

furball said:


> You could try cutting it back and spraying (probably a few times) with an appropriate insecticide and see if it comes recovers but that risk is they will be back.
> Box blight is a fungal disease. Once you have that, the spores are in the soil and there is little chance of being able to grow box in the same spot.



They WILL come back, there is a permanent pool of adults from nearby untreated infestations.


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## GM (4 May 2020)

furball said:


> You could try cutting it back and spraying (probably a few times) with an appropriate insecticide and see if it comes recovers but that risk is they will be back.
> Box blight is a fungal disease. Once you have that, the spores are in the soil and there is little chance of being able to grow box in the same spot.




Oooops, a bit late now, half of one of them is no more!


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