Our boxwood leaves are turning brown and I am concerned it is boxwood blight…what do you think?
Thank you for contacting Toronto Master Gardeners. Without a picture of your bush, it is difficult to diagnose the problem. Boxwood plants with blight have black lesions on the stems. The leaves have brown spots that enlarge over time and then fall off. There are other causes for browning of leaves such as winter burn or dog urine. For more information to help you diagnose the problem please review the following link:
https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/browning-of-boxwood-is-it-boxwood-blight
If you do decide that your plant has boxwood blight, most sources recommend that you take the plant out with a fair amount of earth and any leaves that have fallen to the ground, double bag it in plastic and throw it into the garbage. Never put diseased plants or leaf debris in your compost or include them in municipal garden waste. It’s probably best not to plant boxwood in the same area in case traces of the blight are still in the soil. Clean any tools you used to remove the boxwood with at least 70% rubbing alcohol and let them air dry. For more information on boxwood light please see the following links:
https://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/content/dam/pubs_ext_vt_edu/PPWS/PPWS-29/PPWS-29-pdf.pdf
https://www.agriculture.nh.gov/divisions/plant-industry/boxwood-blight.htm
https://pddc.wisc.edu/2019/02/04/boxwood-blight/
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