May be box blight? If it is, the only recourse is to dig it all out and burn or dispose. I think the spores stay in the ground so it may not be possible to replant with box.
Last edited: 19 October 2016 15:31:44
'Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement' - Helen Keller
The bottom pic just looks as though it has been cut a bit too hard back and has not as yet had a chance to grow back. The top pic looks as though it is dead in the middle and the sides look very unwell also. If the hedges don't recover in the spring then it probably is blight and they will need to be removed.
'Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement' - Helen Keller
Monty didn't dig it all out, we clean out the base of hedge (clean your shears after use) burn all clippings
give a seaweed weed in the spring and hardly cut it, just a light trim. Replant your gaps with a blight resistant box After 6 years we are looking much better and glad we didn't rip it out
Weeds are flowers, too, once you get to know them.” A A Milne
Thank you for all the replies. I am going to leave it until the spring as I have 4 of these beds and they are all looking the same. There is some new growth showing in some parts where it looked dead. It gets very windy here and the beds are very exposed, so could that be a factor?
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May be box blight? If it is, the only recourse is to dig it all out and burn or dispose. I think the spores stay in the ground so it may not be possible to replant with box.
Last edited: 19 October 2016 15:31:44
Monty had this in his garden and had to get rid of it.
The bottom pic just looks as though it has been cut a bit too hard back and has not as yet had a chance to grow back. The top pic looks as though it is dead in the middle and the sides look very unwell also. If the hedges don't recover in the spring then it probably is blight and they will need to be removed.
or do what MD does and leave it there for about 5 years and it still looks cr*p.
Monty don has dug out a lot of his box hedging- it was on one of the programmes.
We have been seriously hit with box blight.
Monty didn't dig it all out, we clean out the base of hedge (clean your shears after use) burn all clippings
give a seaweed weed in the spring and hardly cut it, just a light trim. Replant your gaps with a blight resistant box After 6 years we are looking much better and glad we didn't rip it out
A A Milne
Thank you for all the replies. I am going to leave it until the spring as I have 4 of these beds and they are all looking the same. There is some new growth showing in some parts where it looked dead. It gets very windy here and the beds are very exposed, so could that be a factor?
wind is good. Blight loves still , damp conditions, so the wind, in this instance , is your friend.
Whatever you do, don't go clipping it in November, as , erm. "someone" did, to his cost.