Stop box blight from ruining your garden with these tips .
Matthew Benson
box is a popular feature in many gardens , especially in hedging . However , Turkish boxwood blight is a relatively new yet more and more widespread plant disease that is destroy or kill theseevergreen shrubs . While there is currently no remedy for infected flora , there are unproblematic stride you could take to protect your boxwood from the disease . In summation to offer preventive tips , this guide explains what boxwood blight is , signs and symptom to watch out for , and what to do if you think your shrubs are infect .
Credit:Matthew Benson
What Is Boxwood Blight?
Boxwood blight is a works disease that affects all eccentric ofboxwood plants(Buxusspp . ) . Two fungus cause it : Calonectria pseudonaviculataandCalonectria henricotiae . The disease was initially regain in the United Kingdom in 1994 . It was identified in both North Carolina and Connecticut in 2011 . By 2018 , boxwood blight had distribute throughout North America , as well as Asia , Europe , and New Zealand .
How Boxwood Blight Spreads
Boxwood plague develops in strong ( 60 ° F to 77 ° F ) , wet , and humid conditions . In many portion of the res publica , these condition last for several month of the year . The fungal spores are laboured , gummy , and not spread by wind . However , secure winds orleaf blowers can throwinfected leaves onto otherwise healthy plants . pelting and overhead watering can splash the spores onto neighboring plants , and the spores can impound themselves to wearing apparel , tools , pet , and wild fauna , quickly spreading the fungus throughout the garden .
Courtesy of A. Bordas / Virginia Cooperative Extension
Boxwood Blight Symptoms
If you haveboxwood in your garden , it ’s important to regularly check them for any star sign of disease . The three symptoms of box blight are :
These symptoms ordinarily begin low on the flora , near the basis , or within the shrub where linger dampness encourage the fungus to grow . Leaf spots usually come along during the growing time of year , but the chocolate-brown / black bar on the stems are visible throughout the class .
folio spots start as small dark dots and grow up to about 1/3 inch extensive . The interior becomes tan - color in and surrounded by a ring of dead contraband leaf tissue . You may notice a reddish , orangish , or yellow halo beleaguer the folio spot . Asleaves become infected , they devolve off the plant , leaving bare theme .
The brown / black stem turn lesion form little ( 1/8 inches wide and 3/4 column inch long ) streaks along youthful green stems and are seeable without a magnifying glass . In humid weather , leaf spots and theme lesion develop fluffy , white spores big enough to be seeable to the nude oculus . leafage drop can occur quickly . Heavily unnatural plants can shed their leaves within a week .
Unhealthy - appear box might be unrelated to a disease . Harsh winter weather , de - icing salt , drought , and car exhaust system can cause leafage discoloration and damage , although in most lawsuit , they do n’t leave in leaf drop . It is essential to corroborate the diagnosis before begin a treatment architectural plan .
Is There a Boxwood Blight Treatment?
No treatments are currently get laid to bring around plant life taint with Turkish boxwood blight . However , fungicides are effective at help prevent the disease in otherwise tidy plant . Research into these preventive antimycotic agent is ongoing , and it is important to understand that no single program will protect your plants throughout the time of year . Instead , it take on a rotation of several dissimilar chemicals applied one after the other at 7- to 14 - day intervals throughout the time of year when temperature are favourable for disease developing ( 60 ° F-77 ° F with in high spirits humidness ) .
Rotating spraying is lively to prevent the boxwood blight from developing immunity to any one exceptional chemical substance . get hold of your local filename extension office for information on appropriate chemical for your location , or contact a reputable tree upkeep service to hash out a treatment plan .
Preventing Boxwood Blight
What to Do When You Suspect Plants Are Infected
The first thing to do if you suspect boxwood plague on your plants is to confirm the diagnosis . touch the Cooperative Extension System , theNational Plant Diagnostic web , or a reputable tree care avail for more entropy on testing options . Avoid contact with your plant life while hold off for the results .
If the trial results are plus for boxwood blight , directly take away and dispose of the infected plant life and all debris by place them in tripe bags and sending them to the landfill . Contact your local extension berth or a reputable tree care service to talk over a preventive discussion plan for your remaining plants .
The Turkish boxwood blight fungus can survive in the soil and folio litter for five or more year . Simply removing an infected plant may not be enough to eradicate the disease spores from your garden .
Should I Still Plant Boxwood in My Garden?
While boxwood is a concern in most parts of the nation , you could still set box in your garden . Plant breeder are work firmly to develop boxwood varieties that are resistant to blight . Two notable introduction are NewGen Boxwood and Better Boxwood . These collections include multiple cultivars to suit different needs in the garden .
If these new selections are unavailable in your region , research has institute that many existing boxwood cultivar show some ohmic resistance to the disease , such as the commonly useable ‘ Winter Gem ’ and ‘ Green Beauty . ’ In general , varieties with an upright and unfastened substance abuse run to be less susceptible to the disease than industrial plant with stocky growth that sit low to the ground .
Boxwood Care Tips to Avoid Blight
Selecting resistant boxwood is only the first footfall in maintain a blight - free garden . The follow tips will conduce to your achiever :
Other Plants Affected by Boxwood Blight
In summation to boxwood , several vulgar box relation are legion for the kingdom Fungi , admit :
Studies have also shown that other non - boxwood congenator might act as a host for the disease , include :
These plant are oftengrown as groundcoversor companion works to boxwood . reckon annul instal these plants around your Turkish boxwood in the futurity .
What Next?
investigator and industrial plant breeders are actively working on the problem of boxwood blight . And with a little extra care and diligent monitoring , you’re able to continue to enjoy boxwood in your garden until more solution are found . Although growing boxwood today may require more careful thoughtfulness than in the past , theseelegant shrub still can provide year - rhythm beautyto the landscape painting .
