What is Box Blight?
Box Blight is an air borne fungus disease that specifically attacks box or boxwood plants (genus buxus). Box blight doesn’t kill roots, so diseased plants don’t necessarily have to be dug out. The fungus survives in infected leaves, stems and residues.
Box blight develops and spreads more under wet conditions, spores can remain viable on fallen leaf litter for at least 6 years.
Different approaches to manage outbreaks
Your chances of success in managing outbreaks, will be enhanced by using a combination of different strategies, but they should be used in a co-ordinated way. The measures should be practical in your garden and suit the outbreak. Box blight management can be labour intensive. You may want to prioritise your efforts to protect the most cherished or valuable specimens.
Box blight doesn’t kill the roots of plants so in theory they can recover if cut back. Fortunately, box responds well to clipping (which is why it is such a good hedge and topiary plant) and will also respond to box blight by producing new shoots. The risk is that the new ones will become infected.
Self management focuses on removing sources of infection, protecting uninfected and new growth and managing for healthy recovery. Maintaining this over a period of time will show some amazing results in the long term.
There is nothing quite like box. As any gardener will know they are one of the most popular plants. But not only in the country side, formal topiary and immaculately clipped hedges are very popular in towns and city spaces all over Ireland where a quality hedge is desired.
Highly effective treatment for Buxus problems
Topbuxus Health-Mix is a revolutionary natural tonic for keeping your box bushes blight free, healthy and strong. Developed by europe’s largest box grower for their own use they are now making this professional product available to all. Unichem distribute the full range of Topbuxus products to garden centres, nurseries and landscapers all over Ireland.
It’s important that boxwood can absorb as much sulphur, magnesium, calcium and kali at the right times of the year. In addition, the correct NPK-proportion is essential. The boxwood needs the right amount of ‘food’ when the new leaves are coming.
Topbuxus grow is able to provide this. It’s a fertiliser that will be absorbed very quickly by the plants, which makes it able to notice the results fast. Topbuxus grow keeps your boxwood healthy, without yellow leaves.
Hygienic ground cover – applying a layer of Topbuxus Carpet underneath and around your boxwood creates a hygienically clean environment around the plants in which diseases such as box blight are less likely to develop.
When used in combination with Topbuxus Health-Mix box blight doesn’t stand a chance in your garden!
If you would like to find out more please get in touch through our contact page.
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