The dreaded dieback of boxwood has been occurring for about ten years. This is due to the fungus Cylindrocladium buxicola, which has spread widely in a very short time and is threatening populations throughout Europe. The disease is difficult to combat, all sorts of miracle cures have already been proclaimed. One of them is algae lime, which is said to contain and even suppress the infection. Can this actually work?

Algae lime is obtained from red algae

What is algae lime and what is it used for?

First of all: Algae lime is a natural fertilizer, which is obtained from the deposits of red algae and is not only rich in lime, but also in valuable minerals and trace elements. The powder is used for plant nutrition, but also to improve garden soil. In addition, algae lime should contribute to plant protection, such as fighting fungal infections such as shoot death or pest infestation - such as the box tree moth.

Does algae lime help against dieback and against the box tree moth?

In fact, algae lime seems to help against the plagues mentioned in the short term and to stimulate the affected box trees to sprout again and healthily. In order to achieve this effect, however, infested and endangered plants often have to be dusted with the powder so that the leaves are covered with the fine dust. However, this brings with it further problems that can also end badly for the plagued Buchs:

  • Hardly any sunlight reaches the dusty leaves, which makes photosynthesis more difficult.
  • The fine powder blocks the so-called stomata so that no new shoots can grow from them.
  • As a result, shoot growth is severely slowed down.
  • Frequent use throws the pH of the soil out of balance.
  • This increases in such a way that as a result there is no or only insufficient absorption of nutrients.

Furthermore, the effects on the local bird and insect world have not yet been adequately researched - pollination of the box trees must be viewed critically, especially during flowering, since insects in search of food also absorb the fine dust.

What action should you take instead?

Once the box has been attacked by Cylindrocladium buxicola, there are currently no known effective remedies. You can only try to save the affected plant by pruning it courageously. Targeted prevention is therefore the method of choice: the fungus can only penetrate the leaves if they have been wet for several hours. So keep the leaves as dry as possible or ensure that they dry off quickly, for example in an airy location and with sufficient distance to the neighboring plants.

tips

Until recently, the caterpillars of the box tree moth were considered poisonous for birds because they have not yet attacked them. In the meantime, however, it has already been observed how some garden birds and wasps use the pests. So if you keep your garden bird and insect friendly, then hopefully the moths won't stand a chance soon.

Category:

Vegetable garden