Brian J. Stiehler, CGCS, MG
(828)787-2778
With the Boxwood
blight making its way through Highlands, I am getting multiple calls daily
about what members should do. Unfortunately, with my own set of
responsibilities at the Club, I cannot treat member homes. However, this
is really easy to do yourself. The following products are available at Reeves Hardware on Main Street, Highlands.
1. Buy a 1, 2 or 3 gallon garden sprayer. $14.99
2. Purchase the following product: Daconil
Fungicide $16.99
Mix 3 oz of
Daconil in every one gallon of water. If you have a 2 gallon sprayer, put
6 oz of Daconil in it. This is a contact Fungicide.
3.
Purchase this Bayer product, known as rose and flower care, which provides a
systemic fungicide. The active ingredient is Tebuconazole. This
also contains Imidichlorpid, while not needed for this application, it will
provide some added benefit in the way of insect control. Do NOT put this product in the sprayer. This
should be mixed separately in a bucket and poured around the base of the
shrubs. This should be done only 1x per month. $18.99
4. Spray your boxwoods with the Daconil mixture every 7-14 days.
5. Pour the Rose and Flower Care product on the roots of the boxwood 1x per month.
6.
Treatments need to commence immediately and go to November. In March,
pick back up with treatments to be sure your boxwoods are protected.
The following program will take commitment on
your part but necessary if you want to keep your boxwood shrubs alive.
This information is coming from several universities. I will share more
information as it becomes available. For the initial
investment of $51, you will be well on your way to saving your boxwoods.
Good Luck!