The gardener has looked after his evergreen box for years, only to watch helplessly as the box tree borer tries to destroy it in an instant. He is desperately looking for a way to fight the caterpillars. Did he find it in the coffee grounds?
Does coffee grounds help against boxwood moth?
Coffee grounds are not an effective remedy against boxwood borers. However, if it is dried and regularly worked into the soil, it can reduce therisk of infestation orreduce its size In the event of an acute infestation, coffee grounds scattered directly over the box can promote new growth.
How do I use coffee grounds to prevent borers?
It has been shown that boxwood trees fertilized with coffee grounds are less affected by pests. This also seems to work with boxwood moths. So use coffee grounds as fertilizer. With nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus, it also prevents deficiency symptoms in bookworms.
- moist coffee grounds can get moldy
- Always dry before using as fertilizer
- sprinkle dry coffee grounds around boxwood
- Work carefully and only superficially into the soil (shallow roots)
- then water the root area well
- alternatively add coffee grounds to the water
Fertilization with coffee grounds can be carried out approximately weekly from spring to autumn.
How can I help a damaged boxwood with coffee grounds?
There are also reports on this that report good results, at least in the short term. Heavily eroded boxwood branches wereregularly sprinkled with plenty of coffee grounds and soon began to sprout profusely. It costs nothing and won't do any harm if you try this with your book. But be careful: the pest cannot be eradicated and there is a risk that it will strike again soon. Therefore, be vigilant and do not neglect other control methods!
Which home remedies work better against boxwood borers?
It is difficult to compare the different home remedies. On the one hand, several different agents are usually used at the same time to combat the box tree borer. On the other hand, there are no studies on this and experiences vary slightly. Therefore, the following list of proven remedies is without rating:
- Baking powder
- Neem oil
- Mixture of water, vinegar and oil
- Algae limestone
- Soap solution
You can also collect the green caterpillars, which are up to 5 cm long, or spray them out of the bush with a high-pressure cleaner. On sunny days, you can place a dark plastic bag over small potted boxwood trees for an hour at a time to generate devastating heat.
Tip
Be sure to mix coffee grounds with ground rock
It is well known that coffee grounds lower the pH of the soil. While a rhododendron is happy about it, the acidic soil is not good for the box. Neutralize the coffee grounds by mixing them with an equal amount of ground rock before use.