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privet leaves turning brown and crumbling

17 years ago

Hi everyone,

I planted a privet hedge about 1 year ago. Initially the plants were about 2 feet apart. However, the goal was to get a quicker "wall effect" so this summer we planted extra plants in betweeen them so they are now spaced about 1 foot apart.

For most of the summer they have grown tremendously and now exceed 7 feet tall in many parts of the wall. The problem is on one far end, 3 of the privets' leaves have turned brown and crumble when touched. I've used both a fungicide and increased watering. Neither has been effective at stemming the problem. Is it possible that this is simply the result of them being planted to close together? The privets are fertilized about 1 time a month.

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Comments (2)

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
17 years ago
3 leaves on one plant.. or the last three plants...

please.. put away the chemicals UNLESS you ID a problem which chemicals can help ... 'winging it' is not proper ... a dying leaf my have a fungus.. but i doubt that the fungus was the cause of the dying leave.. meaning the chemical use was not necessary ...

please put away the plant food ... it is just not necessary on trees and shrubs ....

my best spectulation is the you hyper-fertilized them into growing so much green that the root structure can not support all that green ...

down here in the adrian area ... we have been in severe drought for 6 weeks.... one tenth inch of rain ... if you have not been watering properly... you would have brown leaves... if you didnt burn the roots with fert'ing on a drought-stressed plant.. and planting them so close together also may have increased the water stress ...

add to drought.. the 2 weeks near 100 degrees.. the three hail storms.. and the two late frosts.. and who will really knows why those plants are stressed ...

insure proper watering by digging a small hole and see if you are actually getting water to the root zone... but by the end of the second year.. privet should be free-range.. and need no further TLC from you .... we kill more stuff with too much love, rather than benign neglect ...

you can not rely on a clock or wing it.. you have to determine if water is getting through the soil to the root zone ...

good luck

ken
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
17 years ago
and... if you planted 100 and lose 3 ... be elated in your 97% success rate... dont get hung up on the 3% ....

most of us dont put it so many multiples .. and when we do... we lose one here or there.. and get upset ... even professionals expect losses ...

rejoice in your success ... you must be doing something right ..

ken
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Why are my privet leaves turning brown?
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if they were greenhouse grown.. and you shocked them outdoors ... then they will lose their leaves ... or there was a frost or freeze ... or the shipping did it ... or they were simply cheap poor stock ... regardless.. life is in the buds .... and even if they lose every leaf.. if the buds are viable.. they will prosper ... and only time will tell that.. water deeply.. and then do not water again until they need it.. figure that out by inserting your finger .... a good cover of mulch will really help in the heat of summer... you have time to figure out if they will live.. before you need to do that ... do NOT fert them ... spraying water on leaves does little or nothing for a plant ... it usually cant hurt.. but it isnt going to be some miracle ... and i doubt that had anything to do with leaf loss ... as you say.. its only a matter of time.. to see if they live.. but not necessarily meaning death ... who did you get them from.. and how are they rated by the various watchdog sites??? when did you get them .. how were they packed.. how did you hold them over until planting.. how did you plant other than tilling... more specific facts please ... good luck ken
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