Q.What to do for a dying Ligustrum hedge?
My ligustrum hedge is thinning (badly) and now has brown leaves. I suppose it is dying. I have invested several thousand dollars in this hedge, as I need this for privacy, unfortunately. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I live in Urbanna, VA – about 60 miles east of Richmond in a section called the Tidewater. I am about 5 miles away from the Rappahannock River.
How old is the hedge? Has the hedge been in gradual decline for quite some time or did this just happen after winter? If it is the latter, then your shrub probably sustained some cold damage. For more information on cold injury and a prescribed course of treatment, please visit the following link:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/shrubs/shgen/winter-damage-of-shrubs.htm
Is there anything unusual that you can see on the leaves or branches - any signs of disease or fungus or even an insect infestation?
If the hedge's decline isn't due to winter injury then you may want to consider pruning it back hard in order to bring back new life. However, that would mean losing your privacy for awhile but it might salvage your monetary investment.
For more information on the care of ligustrum hedges, please visit the following link:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/shrubs/ligustrum/growing-ligustrum-shrubs.htm
