I have about 60 boxwood shrubs that I suspect have blight. Many are already dry & brown & leaves removed. I understand these infected plants must be burned or buried. Do you know of any company or place where they could be properly disposed?
Thank you for contacting the Toronto Master Gardeners with your enquiry.
Boxwood blight is a fungal disease which eventually causes the leaves to drop. You are correct in that the dead plants (including leaves) need to be removed and disposed of. Sixty shrubs are a large quantity of plants to have removed. Master Gardeners of Toronto cannot recommend companies for the removal and disposal of diseased plants. However, you could try an internet search for “garden cleanups Toronto” or “garden plant removal and disposal Toronto”. If you do have an outside company remove and dispose of the plants, ensure that you instruct the company that they need to double bag the plants and that all tools and equipment used in the process are disinfected when completed. Diseased plants and leaf debris should never go into your compost, or in with municipal garden waste. We strongly suggest cleaning any tools you use to remove the boxwood with at least 70% rubbing alcohol and let them air dry.
This article provides some good tips on avoiding boxwood blight in the future.