Honey fungus? Please help!

Phil232

Hello all,

So I was cutting back my hedges recently, and noticed that the trunks aren't looking as they used to be. The hedges also aren't growing quite as thick last year. Some of the branches are dead and brittle.

From my online research, it looks like the hedge may have honey fungus. I've attached some pictures.

Quite depressingly, I understand I may have to take out the whole hedge. The hedge on the other side of the garden is very healthy and I really want to keep it that way.

Was wondering if there is any way around this? What a horrid start to the spring season!

Lizzie27

Whereabouts are you Phil, I don't recognise that plant. Have you tried digging around the base of one of the dead bits to see if you can identify the honey fungus bootlaces?
Have there been any orange fungi at the base? It certainly doesn't look very healthy, but it may be just old age. 

Phil232

Lizzie27 said:

Whereabouts are you Phil, I don't recognise that plant. Have you tried digging around the base of one of the dead bits to see if you can identify the honey fungus bootlaces?
Have there been any orange fungi at the base? It certainly doesn't look very healthy, but it may be just old age. 

Hi, thank you for your reply.  I'm on the border of SW London and Surrey.

I can't see any orange fungi at the base, nor can I see bootlaces.  The younger plants in this section have also been affected.  I'll post some more pics.

Phil232

Phil232

BobTheGardener

That looks like powdery mildew in your latest photo:

https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=253

Phil232

BobTheGardener said:

That looks like powdery mildew in your latest photo:

https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=253

Thank you.

What do you make of the stems?  They have become brittle, easy to break.  You can see them in my most recent picture.

BobTheGardener

The previous photos show a lot of dead wood (only already dead wood is infected by most fungi), so the first step would be to remove everything already dead.  If you follow each main stem up and find any with no leaves, remove the whole stem back to the ground (or as close as you can get.)  What caused those stems to die is a worry and could be HF or a root disease, but by removing all of the dead stuff the hedge will receive more air and be happier.  Give it plenty of water and cross fingers.