- Why does the privet lose its leaves?
- Leaf shedding in fall and winter is normal
- The privet loses massive leaves in summer
- pest infestation or fungi
It is not for nothing that privet is so popular because it forms opaque hedges with its many small leaves. When the shrub loses a massive amount of its leaves, it is a cause for concern for most garden owners. The concern is only justified if the shrub sheds a lot of leaves in summer.
The privet always loses its leaves in autumn
Why does the privet lose its leaves?
Why a privet loses its leaves depends on the time of year. Massive leaf fall is completely normal in autumn and winter.
It looks different in summer. If the shrub then sheds a lot of leaves, care mistakes are almost always responsible, but sometimes pests are also responsible.
Leaf shedding in fall and winter is normal
Privet is not an evergreen plant, despite what is often said to be the case. There are some cultivars like Atrovirens that keep their foliage particularly long, but by spring all the leaves will have fallen off.
If the privet loses its leaves in winter, this is a completely natural process. The privet sprout again in the spring and produces many new leaves.
The privet loses massive leaves in summer
If the privet loses a massive number of leaves in summer, you should think about care. Even if the shrub is very easy to care for, it still needs some attention. Possible causes of leaf drop in summer include:
- Substrate too moist / too dry
- too much / too little fertilizer
- pest infestation
- fungal diseases
Privet should never dry out completely, but tolerates waterlogging even less. Water more frequently during dry periods. Drainage in the ground helps to prevent waterlogging.
You should be careful with fertilizing. Privet likes neither too few nor too many nutrients.
pest infestation or fungi
If the leaves curl up and then fall off, the privet aphid could be to blame. If spots appear on the foliage, it is probably an infestation with leaf spot fungus.
Treatment is only necessary if the infestation is very severe. The privet can usually cope with minor diseases on its own.
tips
You should collect fallen leaves with fungal or pest infestation and dispose of them in the household waste. Under no circumstances should it be used on the compost or as a mulch material. This would only encourage it to spread in the garden.