Privet leaves curl up

Privet - leaves curl up

The problem that the leaves of the privet curl up, dry up, and eventually fall off, occurs primarily in spring.

It's not a very nice sight, but you don't have to worry that the privet will suffer from a serious illness. The cause is a pest infestation by the privet aphid.

Healthy privet hedges can cope with an infestation quite well on their own. So you don't necessarily need to do anything as long as the privet aphid does not appear in epidemics.

Fighting privet aphid

If the pest infestation is very pronounced, you can try using special pesticides. It is even better if you rely on natural predators of the louse, ladybugs and lacewings.

Most of the time, however, the spook is over after a few weeks and the privet sprouts new, healthy leaves.

Cut off infected shoots

If the sight of the rolled, dried-up leaves bothers you, cut Generously remove all affected shoots. Privet can easily withstand heavy pruning.

Do not throw the cuttings on the compost, but dispose of them in the household waste. This also applies to the fallen leaves, which you should rake up and put in the garbage can.

You can hardly prevent it

The curling up of the leaves of the privet due to an infestation of the privet aphid can hardly be prevented. Make sure the shrub is healthy. Do not plant the privet too densely in the hedge and thin out the bushes regularly:

• ensure a balanced supply of nutrients
• Do not let the privet dry out
• Avoid waterlogging
• Thinning plants regularly
• do not plant too densely in the hedge

For very nutrient-poor soils, you should add an additional fertilization from compost and Horn shavings(€ 32.93 at Amazon *) administer. This strengthens the privet so that it overcomes the infestation without any problems.