[Help] Gardeners Question Time.

[LamieRobertson]

Where did you get the plugs ? My unmown front verge could do with some help

Rocketgardens

 

[LamieRobertson]

I planted Box hedge cubes in 2021. I’ve never grown Box, none of our direct neighbours have Box. Within a year Box Moth caterpillars had decimated them.

Not wanting to embark on a lifetime of managing Pheromone traps to fight them, I dug them out, replacing with Yew.

Last few years it’s been a bigger problem in my experience

 

[LamieRobertson]

Without teaching you to suck eggs . Did you take that lawn down to soil level and remove the cuttings away. You have to be brutal.

I find it takes a few cuts for the mower to cope with that.

For the final mow then seeding, I waited until October when forecast rain was a cert.

I’m confident I can tun the @LamieRobertson and @WATFORD zero patches into mini meadows .

I have bought plugs before to add biodiversity eg Primula vulgaris and Primula veris, otherwise Oxeye Daises can dominate.

I did all of what you said…now stick to your day job….you’re becoming too good at this gardening lark

 

[Weststander]

Last few years it’s been a bigger problem in my experience

Climate change. Since 2000 many pest and microbe invaders, as well as the furnace like July’s are literally killing species of trees used to a temperate climate. A recent gardening programme mentioned in passing that all Birch will disappear from SE England in the coming decades due to unprecedented heat/summer drought.

 

[LamieRobertson]

There is no cure unfortunately. There's various chemicals that you could try, but I wouldn't waste the money. They'll never be the same again. If they've had it, dig out and replace with dwarf holly, dwarf Euonymus, Photinia "Little Red Robin", or other short growing evergreen.
Just seen a "Garden Rescue Visited", and all the Box hedging in one garden had to be replaced. I don't know why anyone would use it in the first place, knowing you're on a hiding to nothing.

I’ve a customer who thankfully I just cut her grass …..she’s replaced the box hedge she planted with…..yep u’ve guessed it more box

 

[LamieRobertson]

Climate change. Since 2000 many pest and microbe invaders, as well as the furnace like July’s are literally killing species of trees used to a temperate climate. A recent gardening programme mentioned in passing that all Birch will disappear from SE England in the coming decades due to unprecedented heat/summer drought.

You sure it wasn’t the T*****?

 

[LamieRobertson]

Climate change. Since 2000 many pest and microbe invaders, as well as the furnace like July’s are literally killing species of trees used to a temperate climate. A recent gardening programme mentioned in passing that all Birch will disappear from SE England in the coming decades due to unprecedented heat/summer drought.

…ps

Seriously u r rather good at this gardening lark

 

[Weststander]

…ps

Seriously u r rather good at this gardening lark

I follow the art of Piet Oufolf and @Jack Straw .

 

[WATFORD zero]

Both of them I’d say, trimmed it right back today.

View attachment 182447

This time of year, that ain't no box blight, that's box hedge caterpillars, trust me I have experience

I have taken to using this, together with the pheromone traps show above

It seems more effective than what I've been using before. You will need to spray them immediately and get the pheromone traps out immediately. It's an annual battle for me, but I have a lot of metres of box.

Here's my post from a couple of years ago

I have a couple of these pheromone traps, front and back https://www.greengardener.co.uk/product/box-tree-moth-buxus-trap-lure/ which aren't cheap, but at least the lures last all season and get the moths.

However, in addition, for the caterpillars 2/3 times a year all the boxes get trimmed and sprayed with https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/22462825...MIo5b_2a3B-AIVEoFQBh1w8wz0EAQYAyABEgLo-fD_BwE I use the concentrate as I have a lot of box hedging at the front and it takes a lot of spray (maybe 4-5 litres per spray). Over the last 3 seasons this has managed to keep them at bay, but despite using the traps all year, I've still had to spray.

There are nematodes that can be used and are far better for the environment, but it's already costing me a fortune just using the two products above. Quite frankly, unless you have a lot of Box, it's probably better just to dig it up and replace it with something else. I think long term that box trees and hedges may be a thing of the past in Britain unless they can somehow breed a species which can survive the caterpillars

 

[Mr Bridger]

This time of year, that ain't no box blight, that's box hedge caterpillars, trust me I have experience

View attachment 182479View attachment 182480

I have taken to using this, together with the pheromone traps show above (although I'm pretty sure I didn't pay THAT)

Amazon product

It seems more effective than what I've been using before. You will need to spray them immediately and get the pheromone traps out immediately. It's an annual battle for me, but I have a lot of metres of box.

Here's my post from a couple of years ago

I’m on it, many thanks!

 

[Weststander]

View attachment 182479View attachment 182480

Then deep fried with a Tempura dip.

 

[A mex eyecan]

Both of them I’d say, trimmed it right back today.

View attachment 182447

looks like cat

 

[A mex eyecan]

Both of them I’d say, trimmed it right back today.

View attachment 182447

We had a bad outbreak of that about 2 years back and started spraying it with this stuff. I spray it 3 times a year and so far it’s holding its own and only one small area about size of a saucer that now affected. The rest has a glorious fresh green growth all over.

Thats all well but have to say if it were to get bad again and this not hold it off it will all come out sadly.

 

[Couldn't Be Hyypia]

Nothing to report on our new garden yet (though I will share pics of the pleached crab apple hedge when I finish it). Running through the lanes around our new home and I'm loving the red campion and cow parsley combo replacing the bluebells and wild garlic.

God, I love the changing seasons.