Unlike many other hedge plants, the deciduous privet is one of the robust representatives that rarely suffer from diseases and pests. What diseases and pests can occur and what can you do about them?

Yellow leaves on the privet can have several causes

Diseases rarely occur in privet

Privet is extremely robust and hardly susceptible to disease. If diseases occur or pests attack the shrub, the privet can usually cope with it itself. The following problems can occur:

  • fungus
  • root rot
  • pest infestation

They manifest themselves through various symptoms:

  • Leaves curl up
  • Leaves turn yellow
  • leaves fall off
  • Leaves get a whitish coating

Most fungal diseases and root rot are caused by a lack or excess of moisture. The privet likes it a little damp, but does not cope well with waterlogging.

Leaves curl up and fall off

Leaf curling mostly occurs in spring when the privet aphid appears. The hedge doesn't look as nice anymore, but the privet is hardly endangered. The leaves grow back in summer.

In the case of a very severe infestation and if the privet does not appear very strong in general, you should work with suitable agents against aphids.

Privet gets yellow leaves

Yellow leaves and/or a lot of spots on the leaves are caused by the leaf spot fungus. It occurs in very humid summers.

You can combat it by generously pruning infested branches and thinning out the bush. If necessary, put the privet on stick. He tolerates that without any problems.

Of course you can also use biological pesticides from the garden store.

leaves dry up

If many leaves dry and fall off, it may be due to insufficient soil moisture. Under certain circumstances, however, the vine weevil, or rather its larvae, is responsible for this.

In the case of a heavy infestation, you can fight this insect with nematodes from the garden store.

Privet loses leaves

Privet is not evergreen. This means that it sheds its leaves in winter. This is a completely natural process. Some privet species such as privet atrovirens keep the leaves on the bush longer. They are therefore preferably planted as a privet hedge. However, this species also loses most of its leaves during the winter.

Whitish coating indicates powdery mildew

Powdery mildew is also not dangerous for the privet. More frequent occurrence can be noticed if the location of the privet is very dry. Sprinkle the privet hedge with water more frequently in the mornings can help.

The privet will only die in the rarest of cases, so you don't have to worry too much.

tips

If the privet is very weak, you should think about additional fertilization. Place mature compost and horn shavings (€32.93) under the shrubs. Conifer fertilizer can also be used for fertilizing.

Category:

Garden design