Box closes

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The box tree caterpillar, which as we reported last year had reached Wanstead on its advance northwards through the country, has knocked Wanstead’s box trees for six. Gardeners are having to come to terms with their lovingly cultivated plants being stripped almost bare by the creature, and there seems to be little that can be done about it, other than hoping to see if the bushes recover next year.

The European Boxwood and Topiary society website (don’t ever claim that Wansteadium doesn’t do its research) seems to hold out some hope if gardeners are prepared to use pesticides in a pretty concentrated burst. Alternatively there do seem to be some resistant strains of box on sale, but they are naturally very expensive.

Any gardeners willing to share tips, please do so using the comments field.

15 thoughts on “Box closes”

  1. Well, isn’t this what we want? I mean, we’re all quite happy to keep pumping greenhouse gases into the atmosphere (especially via our car exhausts), knowing this raises the global temperatures, knowing this causes the climate to change, knowing that this means pressure on the local species. And we are quite happy with this, and have no intention of changing our habits, or any feeling that any of this is our concern. If you wiil the means, you will the end. Simples! (as the meerkats say).

    3. Ann, I’m also curious as to what greenhouse gases and car fumes has to do with this issue. Given that the infestation has likely come from Imports into Europe and potentially the trade of plants from Germany I cant see what the link is. Surely its much better to educate us if we are wrong than condescend, as your cause with gather much greater support that way.

    4. Climate warms. All sorts of things – plants, pests, whatever – move north with the earming climate. What’s not to understand? This will happen more and more – animals, birds, plants, all species which flourished in our former climate will be pushed northwards. It’s already happening. We already know this (see links, obtained by a few minute googling). But it seems we don’t care….

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