dying hedge

[mechanicalpencil]

hello everyone

Our little hedge seems to be dying all of a sudden.
Is there anything I can do to revive/save it?

Is it a box hedge? if so, that’s probably caterpillars eating it. we had the same 😕. if there appears to be loads of webbing, look closer and you’ll see them. you can buy a solution that helps to get rid of them.

@PickledMuffin yes, it is a box hedge. I had no idea caterpillars could do that to a hedge! Now you mention it I have seen loads of them around this year...

We got the nematodes treatment and it worked. Hopefully your hedge is still alive, part of ours is dead 😵

The treatment works brilliantly.
You have to wait a year or so before it starts to look better but when it does, it will start to look how it did before.

We had some box which we had grown for over 20yrs when 2yrs ago, it was devastated by the caterpillars. Sprayed with the solution which got rid of them almost immediately leaving just the bare stalks. Next season there was evidence of new growth and this year, it has been terrific.

Or, it might be blight, a fungal disease which attacks box plants.

Have you seen any webbing for the caterpillars?

I dug up and burnt my beloved box hedging & topiary (fungal disease) - broke my heart. I’ve replaced it with shrubby honeysuckle. Grows quick, bomb proof and clips like box. Have a look on Architectural Plants website for some inspiration if you want to replace the box plants.

@PickledMuffin
So, had a good close look today.. and oh!! what a surprise! full of webs, caterpillars, eggs ...

@PickledMuffin @Nourishinghandcream Good to know that something works!
Is the treatment toxic to other creatures?

Box caterpillars have decimated most of the hedges around here. Buggers.
i spent 2 years trying to nurse mine back to health but had to cave in eventually.

It will be a losing battle against the caterpillars and there is also blight that can affect box too. If you get it through this year the same will happen next year. If you do want to fight it, Rather than more chemicals which could also harm other wildlife (insectasides) try biological controls. There’s some info in this article. https://www.gardenersworld.com/how-to/grow-plants/box-tree-caterpillar/

Box moth caterpillar...death to box hedges. Listen to them munch...

As far as i know the nematodes isn’t harmful to other creatures. It worked in getting rid of them from my hedge, for one it was too late, it was dead but i have growth on my other one again. keeping a watchful eye on that and the other hedges! what a shame that sparrows don’t find those caterpillars tasty! would rather they get eaten than have to put something on them!

I had that last year -dying box hedge.i was about to dig it up thinking it was box blight, when I saw a couple of caterpillars. I Googled it and it was box moth caterpillars. I ordered a box moth pheromone trap on the internet and within a few weeks the hedge looked a lot better. I've not needed to use the trap this year and my hedge is fine.

P.S. the trap isn't very expensive and you get a couple of things with the pheromones in which last several weeks each.

@mechanicalpencil. I’m glad you know what the problem is now. Hopefully you get it sorted and have your lovely hedge back 🙂

Nematodes saved my dms copper beech. I was really cynical but can't deny it worked.