Struggling with a line of Box

Hi all,

Trying to get some box growing for a hedge but the middle plants are discoloured.

If you see the picture attached, the plants at either end are doing well and have a nice deep green colour...the ones in the middle are either very pale or have a few orange leaves.

Soil is very chalky (SE England) if that matters.



Any advice would be hugely appreciated.

Thanks in advance.
Chris

 

Difficult to say but looking at your photo things seem quite dry. You could Mulch around the roots now, and in the spring add a little fertiliser watered in. I am no expert on Box, I use Privet as it 'takes' easy from cuttings, from Fathers house, wonderful man, or layering, it grows and covers well. I have a feeling Box is slow growing.

 

They're fine I think. Just a bit dry -- don't worry. (But be warned, there's a lot of lethal Box disease around, you don't have any yet but you may, there's nothing you can do if it happens. I've stopped growing Box for that reason.)

 

If anyone growing Box notices eaten leaves, webbing or caterpillars, Google 'Bacillus thuringiensis' . It's a very effective bacterial treatment (no chemicals involved) that can save a lot of heartache. Also used as a preventative measure.

 

Box naturally grows in chalky conditions I believe, Box Hill etc.

I've got some box around the garden, grown from cuttings of wild trees.
I think it grows a bit faster than the varieties you get from garden centres.
I also wonder if it is more pest and blight resistant as up to now I've never noticed any problems.