8/1/2023 0 Comments Boxwood blight![]() While other diseases and pests threaten boxwoods-such as boxwood leafminer, Volutella, and mites-boxwood blight, caused by Calonectria pseudonaviculata, is the primary concern in the U.S. The costs to grow boxwood have reached an all-time high as well for most growers. With demand for boxwood at an all-time high, it’s unfortunate that growers must contend with boxwood blight, the impact of which is increasingly felt in production. Even some greenhouse producers are handling boxwood at certain times of the year. boxwood production at more than $126 million, beating azalea, holly, hydrangea, arborvitae, and many others. In 2014, the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service estimated the value of U.S. Growers now report an inability to meet consumers’ demands for boxwood-a good scenario. Fast-forward a few years, and it’s a whole different story. This was during the period where the great recession was in full swing and new housing construction was at low levels. Read our article with more detailed information on What is Boxwood Blight.Back in the late 2000s and early 2010s, before boxwood blight became a household name among nurseries, growers reported a slump in sales of boxwood and plentiful inventory. The evergreen boxwood plants that we offer here at have shown resistance to the Boxwood Blight disease. Dip them for 10 seconds, then dry the soles on an old cloth before continuing through the boxwoods or pachysandras. To easily and quickly clean shoe soles, wear rubber or plastic garden shoes or boots, then dip them into the bucket of disinfecting solution used for the pruning shears. * Clean off the soles of your shoes before moving from one part of the garden to another. Never compost them unless you are sure your shrubs are disease-free. * Always destroy or dispose of boxwood clippings. Scrub them thoroughly with soap and water and dry them before putting away after pruning is completed. * Disinfect your pruners between plants by dipping them in a solution of nine parts water and one part bleach for 10 seconds. ![]() The wet shrubs are at a weakened stage and more susceptible to attack from a fungus. * Stay away from the shrubs when they are wet. * Start by planting boxwoods and pachysandras in a sunny location, never in a shady location. Follow the precautions when working on your boxwoods or pachysandras. Since there is currently no known cure for boxwood blight, a defensive treatment to prevent the blight is the best course of action. The shrub will take on a deformed and disfigured appearance and a once neatly shaped row of boxwoods will look as though they have been through a fire. The remaining leaves on the shrub will turn yellow and plant growth will cease. The branches which the leaves were on will begin to die next. ![]() ![]() Small brown spot will appear on the leaves and soon thereafter those spotted leaves will fall off the shrub. The disfiguring organism is also called Cylindrocladium pseudonaviculatum or Calonectria pseudonaviculata.īoxwood blight will first manifest itself on the leaves of the evergreen shrub (other evergreens are not in danger from the blight, only boxwoods and pachysandras). This blight that infects both boxwoods and their ground-covering cousins, the pachysandras, is caused by a fungal organism known as Cylindrocladium buxicola. The slow-growing evergreen shrub makes a lovely and long lasting hedge row that is easily maintained, unfortunately it can be wiped out very quickly by a terrible disease called Boxwood Blight. Boxwoods are the go-to shrub for many homeowners that want an attractive living boundary around some part of their property. ![]()
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