Privet is a robust plant that hardly anything can stop its growth. But it also has its limits. Don't worry, not every fungal pathogen can bring down the privet. However, it is easy to rob it of its beauty. For example, by covering the green leaves with spots.
How do you treat leaf spot on privet?
To combat leaf spot on privets, remove all infected plant parts, dispose of them properly and disinfect your scissors. Strengthen the plant with plant strengtheners and avoid nitrogen-heavy fertilization. Pay attention to appropriate fertilization and irrigation.
The pathogens of leaf spot disease
There are usually different types of fungi that are responsible for the formation of spots. The privet is just one possible victim in the home garden. Hydrangeas and rhododendrons also often suffer from leaf spot disease, as do some other plant species, including vegetables such as cucumbers. Even if the infected plant survives a season intact, the pathogen lurks on the ground and strikes again. That's why the owner is asked to do something about it.
The visible symptoms
An infected privet soon shows visible symptoms of the disease:
- brown spots form on leaves
- they can also take on black coloring
- they prefer to occur in humid summer weather
- As the disease progresses, more leaves fall off
Fighting leaf spot disease
Unfortunately, home remedies for leaf spot disease are not available to us. The most important tool in the fight against the fungal pathogen is therefore scissors. With privet it only has to be used when the infestation is clearly evident. The privet will survive a mild infestation well on its own.
- remove all affected plant parts
- Burn what is cut off or dispose of it with household waste
- collect fallen leaves and dispose of them too
- disinfect the scissors before and after cutting
Strengthen plants
You should avoid nitrogen-heavy fertilization for the time being, as this causes the plant tissue to become spongy. This means that the fungal pathogen has an easy time of it. Various plant strengtheners available on the market (€83.00 on Amazon) as well as homemade plant broths can give the privet more resistance.
Other preventative measures
So that the fungus cannot strike again, the soil below the privet should be removed to a depth of about 5 cm in late autumn. Also avoid anything that further weakens the plant's vitality. It is therefore essential to fertilize as needed. Planting that is too close is also unfavorable because wet leaves have difficulty drying. In the future, only water the privet via the roots without wetting its leaves with water.
