octatonic wrote:
'David Hare-Scott[_2_ Wrote:
;978997']

I have never seen privet look so sick, it is pretty hard to kill.
What has
changed in the period the problem has happened? Was it especially
wet (or
dry)? Did you start (or stop) watering? Did you fertilise or alter
the

beds in any way? What is the white rock? Was something built,
repaired,
spilt or demolished nearby? Did you spray with anything?

David

Hi David,

It has been particularly cold this winter.

Not knowing where you are that doesn't tell me much.

I did water it a bit over the winter but I figured it would need less
as it was raining.

Plants don't need much water while dormant in the winter and there is little
evaporation, so the rain may have been plenty. Not knowing where you are,
your climate or soil it hard to say. Dropping all the leaves can be caused
by drowning. Dig down next to the roots, if the soil is dark and sticky and
smells bad the roots may have rotted from excess water. If they are wet
don't water any more until they are fairly dry and growth has started.

Are the stems still flexible? Wait until there are good signs of spring
growth in your district, if nothing from your privet it's likely dead.

I didn't spray it with anything nor fertilise it.
Before the winter it was growing really well- then in the last few
months it has dropped its leaves.


The white rock is just a decorative rock that we got at a garden
centre.

Probably not important unless it has something nasty spilled on it. Most
rocks are inert, even those that are not (eg limestone) when in large chunks
don't produce much change in soil and that is very slow as they are only
slightly soluble.

I can't remember what it is called.
Could that be the problem then?

I doubt it.


Should I be fertilising it?

No. Wait until it shows signs of spring growth and then fertilise
sparingly.

D