As before, a question I have answered for myself, and a second one where I need your input please!
[1] Am I Picking Up Good Hydration?
I think so, and I am humming Beach Boys Songs all the time, in this long, hot summer. My best hydration tip is use a smallish coffee flask, and put ice cubes in when you fill it. That keeps the water chilled all day. A big flask is just too heavy to carry around - and you can usually find a suitable tap for refilling if you drink the lot. Eating food with a high water content is really helpful too. A cubes of water melon, slices of cucumber, a thin broth type soup - all these help hydrate. I'm also leaving a filled bowl at the end of the past for all the pooches who potter past with their owners in the blistering heat. Our pets need hydrating too.
One of my lovely little box trees is looking really sparse and sad. Lots of leaves have gone brown and crispy. I have kept watering and some new ones have appeared, but it has completely lots its charming conical shape. SIL suggested it was in the wrong spot by the front door, as it is in full sun all day. She recommended moving it to the shade and giving it a long cool drink in a bucket of water. As I was doing that, one of the many dog walkers passed, and said "Box Caterpillar!" It seems these little beasties are running rampant through the village . "We had a box hedge for twenty years and it has disappeared almost overnight." I cannot see any caterpillars on either bush. Should I leave the brown crispy foliage in situ or attempt to brush it away? I will not attempt to trim the topiary into shape until it has a full head of lush green foliage,
Have you any experience of Box Caterpillars?
[2] Box Shocks?!?
Have you any experience of Box Caterpillars?
Thank you all. The box on the other side of the front door seems ok. But I will sadly have to dispose of this one....
Box caterpillars are notorious; some ornamental gardens at NT and other sites have replaced their box hedges for knot gardens entirely.
ReplyDeleteI've just read an article on staying hydrated; it said that fresh fruit and veg, ice lollies, yoghurt all play their part. I like jasmine tea, hot, warm or cold.
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Deletesadly yes to Box caterpillar; only solution, change to another plant
ReplyDeleteJill x
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DeleteI cannot see any cobwebs in your picture, so I would suggest it’s box blight, a fungal disease which is virtually impossible to treat successfully, alas.
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DeleteSadly it looks like box blight. The only thing to do is remove the shrub and earth, do not put in compost, and remove completely from your garden. Also wash out the pot it was in. This seems to be worse in warm conditions. It spreads very quickly. Regards Sue H
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DeleteI’ve been taking my water bottle with me whenever I’m out and taking small drinks throughout the time I’m out. No eclipse for us as it was overcast and drizzly. Another hot day here so I must pace myself so that I get some chores done. Catriona
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DeleteOn recommendation of a local gardener I tried X-entri (available on the web), sprayed my box and (touch wood) no sign of caterpillar, moths or web. The greenery has grown back. I think I have to spray it again in the autumn. A local tree surgeon said he would give any box a year to recover although I have seen some that look skeletal and would get rid of them quickly. My box blight/caterpillar did appear after a spell of intense heat followed by colder and rainy conditions in May/June this year. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteThe shrubs have been removed
DeleteI have experience of both box blight and BMCs.
ReplyDeleteYou can now get pheromone traps, nematodes and biological sprays that claim to control BMCs, but they are not cheap and not (IME) that effective - and you will need to use them long-term.
However, if BMCs are endemic in your area you are fighting a losing battle particularly as box blight is also so prevalent now.
That said, your SIL is correct, box does not like full sun
Given that you are seeing some regrowth, if it were me, I'd pick off the brown leaves, give the green parts a clip back into shape, feed it with a tomato or seaweed feed and hope for the best.
If it is blight or BMCs you'll know fairly quickly as it will come back, but if it continues to regrow, it may survive for a while longer.
But, as others have said, long-term you'd be better off with another plant. There are several now being sold as box replacement. I don't recommend Ilex Crenata though!
- Kate
Thank you, Wil avoid ilex
DeleteIf you can't see caterpillars it is more likely to be box blight.I don't think there is anything you can do about blight. Don't add any of the dead material to compost heads or council green waste, burn if possible or but in normal household waste bin. Keep it well away from your healthy plant and cross your fingers.
ReplyDeleteJane in Nottinghamshire
Thank you,closer inspection revealed it has spread to #2 sadly
Deletewe have one of those huge "Stanley" 32 oz water holders that keep water cold all day, Stanley is a brand over here, ours are knock off's!! We need to keep hydrated in the heat. No idea about your shrub.
ReplyDeleteSTANLEY cups popular here too
DeleteDon't dispose of your box plant in your garden bin, as box blight/caterpillars is rampant. You will have to put it in your ordinary refuse bin and with the compost too. Give the pot a good wash in Jeyes Fluid. Euonymous looks a lot like box, but is far more tolerant. Xx
ReplyDeleteThank you for that
DeleteYes, unfortunately these caterpillars munched through all of our box plants. We tried to pick them off and used soapy water but it was useless. They all had to be dug up.
ReplyDeleteFrustrating but necessary
DeleteNo experience with Box Caterpillars, but very fond memories of the Beach Boys :)
ReplyDeleteHels
Art & Architecture, mainly
Fun, fun, fun!!
DeleteMonth Don's garden succumbed to it recently and he dug all the box out and burned it.
ReplyDeleteI don't feel so bad now, then. If HE didn't avoid it!
DeleteSorry to hear about your box plant. I don't have any but I have heard all about the various problems via a weekly radio gardening show. Where pests are concerned the expert sometimes suggests putting the plant into a black garbage bag in the sun to ensure killing off the offenders before discarding it, but I see you may have box blight. We have Japanese beetles on the wild raspberries. It always amazes me how attractive some of these problem insects can be - like gleaming metallic ornaments!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful but deadly
DeleteAw, your poor Box, still you've got good tips from the other comments. Thanks for the ice cube in a smaller cup idea, I'll be doing that. 😀
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