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#1
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Smelll of viburnum Tinus - I think
Hi Folks
Moved into this house 3 years ago with a substantial front hedge of V tinus, it had an awful case of viburnum beetle (id'ed from photos by someone here - thank-you), in the morning and when the hedge was damp it gave off a revolting smell - so much so I starting investigating the Drains. Manage to curb the beetle using an insecticide and the smell seemed to ease last year. I've noticed the smell more again this year but the beetle is not a visible problem now. Some questions - do all viburnum hedges smell? I dont know any others hence asking here. If not why is my hedge smelling and what can I do about it. Over the last couple of years I have slowly cleared the dead leaves/debris which gathers at the base of the hedge but the smell seems worse again this year. Any information please |
#2
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Smelll of viburnum Tinus - I think
On Jul 12, 7:31*pm, "nnk" wrote:
Hi Folks Moved into this house 3 years ago with a substantial front hedge of V tinus, it had an awful case of viburnum beetle (id'ed from photos by someone here - thank-you), in the morning and when the hedge was damp it gave off a revolting smell - so much so I starting investigating the Drains. *Manage to curb the beetle using an insecticide and the smell seemed to ease last year. I've noticed the smell *more again this year but the beetle is not a visible problem now. Some questions - do all viburnum hedges smell? I dont know any others hence asking here. *If not why is my hedge smelling and what can I do about it. |
#3
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Smelll of viburnum Tinus - I think
"aquachimp" wrote in message ... On Jul 12, 7:31 pm, "nnk" wrote: Hi Folks Moved into this house 3 years ago with a substantial front hedge of V tinus, it had an awful case of viburnum beetle (id'ed from photos by someone here - thank-you), in the morning and when the hedge was damp it gave off a revolting smell - so much so I starting investigating the Drains. Manage to curb the beetle using an insecticide and the smell seemed to ease last year. I've noticed the smell more again this year but the beetle is not a visible problem now. Some questions - do all viburnum hedges smell? I dont know any others hence asking here. If not why is my hedge smelling and what can I do about it. Over the last couple of years I have slowly cleared the dead leaves/debris which gathers at the base of the hedge but the smell seems worse again this year. Any information please Do they still sell amrilotox (not sure how it's spelt)? Might help to 'wash-out' the problem, it being a detergent an all. Apart from which the oly time I've encountered such a stink from a V. Tinus was earlier this year after a sever cold weather snap turn one quite, quite brown and deadish looking. Assuming that is that someone isn't burying their meat scraps along your hedge. Wondered about the re-emergence of the smell - I cut 4ft off the top of the hedge last autumn its now filled on nicely at about 6ft tall, could the clipping falling inside be the cause of the new smell ?? |
#4
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Smelll of viburnum Tinus - I think
On Jul 12, 8:42*pm, "nnk" wrote:
"aquachimp" wrote in message ... On Jul 12, 7:31 pm, "nnk" wrote: Hi Folks Moved into this house 3 years ago with a substantial front hedge of V tinus, it had an awful case of viburnum beetle (id'ed from photos by someone here - thank-you), in the morning and when the hedge was damp it gave off a revolting smell - so much so I starting investigating the Drains. Manage to curb the beetle using an insecticide and the smell seemed to ease last year. I've noticed the smell more again this year but the beetle is not a visible problem now. Some questions - do all viburnum hedges smell? I dont know any others hence asking here. If not why is my hedge smelling and what can I do about it.. Over the last couple of years I have slowly cleared the dead leaves/debris which gathers at the base of the hedge but the smell seems worse again this year. Any information please Do they still sell amrilotox (not sure how it's spelt)? Might help to 'wash-out' the problem, it being a detergent an all. Apart from which the oly time I've encountered such a stink from a V. Tinus was earlier this year after a sever cold weather snap turn one quite, quite brown and deadish looking. Assuming that is that someone isn't burying their meat scraps along your hedge. Wondered about the re-emergence of the smell - I cut 4ft off the top of the hedge last autumn its now filled on nicely at about 6ft tall, could the clipping falling inside be the cause of the new smell ?? Hmm, dunno, but the stink I experienced was coming from the leaves, so..... maybe. |
#5
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Smelll of viburnum Tinus - I think
Go to http://tinyurl.com/mv2ddx for some good answers to your probelem.
"nnk" wrote in message ... Hi Folks Moved into this house 3 years ago with a substantial front hedge of V tinus, it had an awful case of viburnum beetle (id'ed from photos by someone here - thank-you), in the morning and when the hedge was damp it gave off a revolting smell - so much so I starting investigating the Drains. Manage to curb the beetle using an insecticide and the smell seemed to ease last year. I've noticed the smell more again this year but the beetle is not a visible problem now. Some questions - do all viburnum hedges smell? I dont know any others hence asking here. If not why is my hedge smelling and what can I do about it. Over the last couple of years I have slowly cleared the dead leaves/debris which gathers at the base of the hedge but the smell seems worse again this year. Any information please |
#6
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Smelll of viburnum Tinus - I think
"nnk" wrote in message ... Hi Folks Moved into this house 3 years ago with a substantial front hedge of V tinus, it had an awful case of viburnum beetle (id'ed from photos by someone here - thank-you), in the morning and when the hedge was damp it gave off a revolting smell - so much so I starting investigating the Drains. Manage to curb the beetle using an insecticide and the smell seemed to ease last year. I've noticed the smell more again this year but the beetle is not a visible problem now. Some questions - do all viburnum hedges smell? I dont know any others hence asking here. If not why is my hedge smelling and what can I do about it. Over the last couple of years I have slowly cleared the dead leaves/debris which gathers at the base of the hedge but the smell seems worse again this year. Any information please "Emrys Davies" wrote in message ... Go to http://tinyurl.com/mv2ddx for some good answers to your probelem. interestingly enough my first thought is usually google but my original search in 2006 when I didnt know the species turned up blank but urg turned up trumps (the origanl thread is archived in that search). There doesnt seem any authoritative info there - some seem to believe its the beetles others the sap and still others the brown dried leaves. Some people seem to report no smell at all which is surprising given its sporadic intensity. Next doo who had the longer portion of the hedge sympathetically pruned it (hacked to the ground) a year ago - the resulting regrowth doesnt seem to have the smell though Still puzzled as to the cause and short of grubbing up (replacing with privet - which has pleasant childhood memories associated with the flowers) the cure ! Any thoughts from others ? |
#7
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Yes, Viburnum tinus smells like a skunks anal glad on heat mixed with dogshit! The smell is from the leaves I think. However, it's only really bad if it is damp or humid. It is a plant that has adapted to attract flies as pollenators so what else would you expect from the stinky beast?
V. tinus is still a great plant for bulk in tropical plantings and as a background but I wouldn't use it as a hedge, especially in urban areas as Viburnum beetle is just so rampant in the UK now, even in rural areas. Besides the beetle problem it will get gappy and leggy even with regular pruning, fertilizer and good soil. The smell drives me crazy! Probably smells like fresh baked apple pie...to a dog! |
#8
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If its a warm spot in semi shade or a spot with plenty of sun try Griselinia littoris (New Zealand Privet) its much more rewarding than the Ligustrum species.
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#9
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Quote:
Privet is nice, or at least the scent of the flowers is, and you don't see it around that often now, so quite nice for a hedge from that point of view. Seems to grow quite fast - I've got one which has inserted itself into my hawthorn hedge, and it certainly grows faster than the hawthorn. But at least it doesn't have spines ;-)
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#10
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Mine doesn't smell noticeably. I have it in a short hedge, which is dense to the bottom, and I find it bushes out in response to pruning. You need to prune it straight after flowering or you lose next year's flowers. My soil is very stoney, not very fertile, and I don't feed it. It has been intermittently munched, but not recently. The only annoyance factor it has is that the older wood is very hard, so cutting back is hard work.
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#11
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Maybe its just my area then (Salisbury/Southampton) where V. tinus is getting totally dessicated. I'm a landscape professional, I don't like spraying herbicides as they are indiscriminate. I wouldn't plant a V. tinus hedge in an urban environment, where a lack of predators (Bluetits, wasps, hornets etc.) and warmer ambient temperatures let the beetle move to the top of the food chain. I do have a couple of 10 year old shrubs at my home, I've noticed in the last couple of years a few bit marks from beetles but as its a rural location, I think the amount of predatory insects and birds etc are much more in abundance to keep it their numbers in check. I'd keep it for myself, and plant it at the back of borders, but I just won't be planting it specifically as a hedge for other people.
Regarding the smell it comes from the dead leaves hanging on the branches, and then only some of them it seems. This would explain why infested plants probably reek more. I had a theory that an insignificant smell V. tinus secreted attracted tomcats and foxes etc to mark their territory, but some of the dead leaves are out of reach so some theory! |
#12
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.....So in theory a healthy, vigerous plant with no noticeable dead leaves hanging on it shouldn't smell! But a dessicated low hedge will stink!
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