Alpharetta, GA on Jun 02, 2012

HELP?!? Our bush died!! This bush in our front yard has been fine for 11 years found it dead yesterday.

We have had this bush in our front yard for 11 years. Yesterday we noticed it appears to have died. Last week it was perfectly fine and green and lush! HELP!? Can anyone tell us what could be the problem, and is it completely dead or can we rehab it? You can see in the background the other bushes just like it that are fine and still lush and green. It was fine last week!!!

We had two other bushes through the years do the same and never investigated to see what went wrong. We ended up pulling them out but we do not want to keep losing bushes. Also does anyone know what type of bush it is?? They were here when we moved into our home and we have never known what kind they are.

28 Comments Displaying 25 of 28 comments | See Previous

Ana M Alpharetta, GA

Can you tell us what kind of plant it is? We have never known.

on Jun 02, 2012 · Like 0
Aric V Tama, IA

seems as if it looks as though the leaves on the top are dead but the shrub itself seems ok underneath. I would try using a growth hormone (i use Superthrive) after clipping it back. That should both increase the growth rate and provide natural nutrients to recover it.

on Jun 02, 2012 · Like 0
Melissa K Blythewood, SC

I, also thought I had lost a boxwood in this manner last fall, but more leaves sprang from the center trunk. I was also mystified. But the writer states she has completely lost another in the same fashion. I never figured out what happened, but I do know there were voles in my yard this past fall.

on Jun 02, 2012 · Like 0
Sherrie S Debary, FL

I agree with Becky. Cut off the dead and see if it revives. My queen palm looked dead but it looks like it might make it. Here the problem was nothing but water. Sprinklers missed it and we have a drought. I'm still not sure it will make it but it has green growth.

on Jun 02, 2012 · Like 0
Sandra R Breinigsville, PA

I agree with Walter, that sudden has to be a chemical.

on Jun 02, 2012 · Like 0
Jan C Duluth, GA

I agree with Walter, but could possibly be a male dog urinating on it. It is the first off the bottom of the steps and that is the one they will go for first, but that normally takes more than a week, but I've seen it kill in a few weeks with repeated urinating.

on Jun 02, 2012 · Like 0
Val L Henderson, NV

Where is your underground gas pipe?

on Jun 02, 2012 · Like 0
Douglas Hunt New Smyrna Beach, FL

You have a boxwood. I've never heard of one succumbing so quickly to natural causes.

on Jun 03, 2012 · Like 0
Jeanette S Atlanta, GA

If you find you have to replace this plant (I agree it looks like a boxwood), you definitely want to "sanitize" the soil before you replant...and this includes the rocks around it. If you have a coop in your area, they can test the soil. Something is wrong or something is getting to this area.

on Jun 03, 2012 · Like 1
Marg C Middletown, NY

It's a Boxwood but I have some questions...when did you put the gravel down?...have you been watering it?...is this the first spot a dog goes to urinate?...have you used chemicals in the area?...do you have moles?...
now to the possibles for your problem.
1..could be cut leaf worm which attacks at the base. Is the boxwood now wobbly? ...»

2..chemical burn
3..too much gravel right up the the trunk which also means the the bark could have been damaged while adding the gravel and also it can't breath.
4..bad neighbor?
the list goes on but I would suggest severely cutting off all of the dead if you really want to save it...overwater and fertilize and see what you get but I honestly think it's a goner.

on Jun 03, 2012 · Like 0
Janie B Imler, PA

Plants don't live forever either. Sometimes they just get old and die. Trimming them makes them look nice but seems after years of trimming it seems you have to replace them. I have seen this with my Mom's hedges and different shrubs she like trimmed.

on Jun 04, 2012 · Like 0
Becky H Tampa, FL

All things have a life expectancy, however shrubs/hedge life can be extended providing some pruning is done each year. Repeated hedge shaping can cause a woody interior w/superficial foliage. Every year a sharp pair of hand pruners should be put to use, trimming out some of the wood inside/lightening the canopy. Never remove more than 1/3 of the shrub at one time. By doing this, the new light coming through the shrub canopy will allow new growth to begin from the interior of the shrub. ...»
It is the green wood that correlates to feeder roots. Always trimming off the new growth to maintain the shape of your shrub will reduce the growth of feeder roots, which roots keep the plant alive and healthy.

on Jun 04, 2012 · Like 1
Sherrie S Debary, FL

Janie M, I don't think the plant died of old age. My boxwood is over 20 years old - 30+ ft long x 4+ ft wide & 5+ft high. The one thing I learned is never scalp the boxwood hedge. Just remove unsightly growth. In Florida this must be done a few times a year. The only problem I had with the plants was when one sprinkler didn't work.

on Jun 04, 2012 · Like 0
Marg C Middletown, NY

this one didn't die of old age. look at the others that are still healthy.

on Jun 04, 2012 · Like 0
Bonnie B Shingle Springs, CA

I'm sure you've checked your watering system, haven't you? That would be my first guess; my second would be moles?

on Jun 04, 2012 · Like 0
Anna P Andover, MN

voles can eat the roots and the plant will died very quickly. Voles did BIG damage in my garden, but moles do not eat roots, only voles...

on Jun 04, 2012 · Like 1
Ana M Alpharetta, GA

Thanks for the help!
So here are answers to some of the question:
-gravel went down more than 5 years ago
-watering has been the same as we have been doing it for 11 years
-the bush is 16-18 years old ...»

-no chemicals nor accidental spills have been near it
-no dogs urinate in the area
-we have not seen a problem with voles
-has been trimmed the same way for the last 11 years no changes on that
-gas pipe is no where near it
It is a complete mystery to us!

on Jun 04, 2012 · Like 1
Marg C Middletown, NY

maybe it is a Vole then? Is the bush wobbly at all? If so then that could have been the culprit.

on Jun 05, 2012 · Like 0
Ana M Alpharetta, GA

nope not wobbly and no voles, that we can find :(

on Jun 05, 2012 · Like 0
Marg C Middletown, NY

hmmm curious!!! You might want to get a professional out there so you can avoid this happening again!

on Jun 05, 2012 · Like 0
Becky H Tampa, FL

Janie M. you are correct, however, unless she can determine what may have caused this, it may repeat itself. Typically it is better to determine the cause so one can move on.

on Jun 06, 2012 · Like 2
Ana M Alpharetta, GA

Not crying over a plant, but we are baffled, third one in 11 years that has done this and we can not figure out why! So we are very hesitant to plant a new one to have it keep happening, plus we have several more bushes in the area that we are trying to keep well.

on Jun 06, 2012 · Like 0
Marg C Middletown, NY

you surely need a diagnosis or you will suffer years of dissapointment and waste alot of money.

on Jun 06, 2012 · Like 0
Marg C Middletown, NY

@Janie...I am truly sorry for your loss but you probably shouldn't be here if you're that bitter. We're talking about things in our lives that we are passionate about....you should probably find a forum on your issue if you need to vent. Sorry but it's my honest opinion.

on Jun 06, 2012 · Like 0
Ana M Alpharetta, GA

I appreciate everyone's opinions but like Marg C said Hometalk is a forum for us all to ask for help on matters of the home that are of interest to us. It might be meaningless to you because of your situation but nevertheless it is still a forum for just that home sharing questions.

on Jun 07, 2012 · Like 1