After years of whacking it back, we offered it to a school that put out a call looking for some free shrubs for landscaping. Weevils – Weevils chew on the edges of leaves. We have some that we planted, and they are constantly sending up shoots where shoots don’t belong. All advice should be weighed against your own abilities and circumstances and applied accordingly. Am I a Good Candidate for Credit Counseling? If you’re already a … I appreciate the openness but I am already brainstorming for the new plant to place on the corner of the shed… Any suggestions? Viburnum. You never know.Katherine. There is a chemical reaction of some sorts and the roots will not only die, but it also aids in helping to disintegrate them.Mary. If someone offered me ferns and said all I would have to do was dig them up myself, I would! So long as the roots are living, it may keep sending up shoots. If you’re dealing with a difficult shrub, one of these frugal solutions should do the trick. Beetle leaf beetles can completely destroy planted viburnum bushes, and the fight against these pests is very difficult. When planting a Viburnum in a pot or other container, I suggest using a quality potting soil or potting mix, or a 50/50 combination thereof, in a container with a drainage hole(s). Subscribe to The Dollar Stretcher, our free weekly newsletter aimed at helping you live better for less on the money you already have! If it’s dry in your area, wet the ground around it first, and have the hose handy. These eggs hatch in late April-early May … The oystershell scale can overwinter as full grown females that are attached to the bark, … You can pick it up at a local feed store.Ronda. Try Killing the Shrub with a Copper Spike An old fashioned, easy, and inexpensive way of doing this is to cut the shrub or tree as low to the ground as possible and drive a copper spike into the center of stump. The roots on bromeliads are not too extensive, so it was easy to pop out and set to the side until its new home was determined. Provide supplemental water during dry spells, aiming for one inch of water weekly, including rain. I live in Tennessee and a friend said it could be a blackberry bush. Spread it a foot (30 cm) beyond the viburnum’s branches. Will cutting off the infected branches help? Adding a layer of compost also helps increase the fertility of the soil. To control moss, prune back excess tree or shrub growth to increase direct sunlight and air circulation. You can get the spikes at a hardware store. Viburnum beetle overwinters as eggs that are deposited in the bark of the current years growth of viburnums in late summer. Scrape dirt away from the root ball of the plant or shrub with a shovel or trowel. Each step of the way we bundled the branches with twine to make it easy for curbside pickup. When you prune the shrub the debris that you cut off must go directly into the garbage as this will be where the eggs are attached. Finally, the final piece came out. Depending on the age of the plant, you may have to dig it out. Carefully lift the plant out, and gently set it aside. Most of the leaf damage is caused by the stripey, beige-coloured larvae, though later … They’re normally used for standing seam copper roofs. If you don’t want to dig, and poisoning is dangerous and expensive, try boiling water. Could this be responsible? Locate the largest roots extending from the root ball and uncover them for a distance of at least 2 feet. What is a viburnum borer? If you don’t, you will always have the root system in the way of whatever else you might want to plant. Viburnum beetle was named as the number one pest by the RHS in 2010, stealing the crown from slugs and snails. The best way to get rid of these leaf beetles is to prune the shrub after it has gone dormant between the end of November and beginning of April. First cut it back to the ground and set the stub on fire. Subscribe to The Dollar Stretcher, our free weekly newsletter aimed at helping you live better for less on the money you already have! Or maybe the Eastern Snowball pictured above.) And then the fun began. Usually featuring lush clusters of white flowers, viburnum shrubs often work well as privacy screens around a yard or as focal plants in a landscape. Removing viburnum this way is quick and easy and even if I have to snap off the suckers for a few months it doesn’t bother me too much. Roundup Tree Stump & Rootkiller, SBM Job done Tough Tree Stump Killer (soluble sachet only), Doff Tree Stump & Tough Weedkiller and Westland Resolva Pro Tree Stump) or triclopyr (Vitax SBK Brushwood Killer) to the freshly cut surface. Little Luxuries: 130 Ways to Live Better...For Less. You may have to cut the branches so the salt can seep in, but it works great at getting rid of trees and shrubs you don’t want! Use the pruning shears to cut the shrub right back until only a small amount of stump is remaining. This Chinese native viburnum is a low-growing evergreen shrub, with attractive veining on dark green leaves, white flowers from December through to April, and metallic blue berries. I consider viburnum to be my nemesis. For sweet viburnum information including how to care for sweet viburnum, read on. The doublefile viburnum (Viburnum plicatum f. tomentosum 'Mariesii',) is a medium-sized deciduous shrub (8 to 16 feet in height) that blooms with white flowers from April to May. Once your mixture is complete you will pour it into a spray bottle to apply to the plants you want to get rid of. Three or four years of uncontrolled defoliation by viburnum leaf beetle can easily kill susceptible viburnums. If you click on one of the affiliate links, The Dollar Stretcher could be compensated. Viburnums (botanical name is also Viburnum) can vary a lot in size and shape, but they do share a few key important traits. If the beetles have defoliated your viburnums several years in a row, however, your shrub may be in trouble. I just mow them over, but they do grow back even from mowing. If that won’t work, try burning it out. We asked our frugal readers if they had any inexepensive, natural methods for removing a shrub that does not require the hard work of digging out the roots. Helen Yemm answers readers' gardening questions. Armored scales, such as the oystershell scale (Lepidosaphes ulmi), can infest viburnum and cause branch dieback.If the infestation is severe enough, they may kill the shrub. Why kill a possibly good plant? Cut down the whole tree, remove any large suckers on the stump and then apply glyphosate (e.g. Cut the shrub back to expose the stump. Here’s how to control a viburnum beetle infestation: • Grow resistant species - viburnum beetles can do significant damage to plants in this genus, but you can cut off their food supply by growing less susceptible species in your garden, such as V. carlesii, V. plicatum, and the fragrant V. x juddii. If it is indeed blackberry, you’re going to have a very hard time getting rid of it! It will take time but eventually it will die from lack of sunlight.Margo, If in deed it is a blackberry bush then you will want to use Crossbow. I tried to love it more by planting orchids in its branches and beautiful bromeliads as its base. These vibrant-looking plants can quickly wither and die from attacks by viburnum beetles. Since the mulch helps absorb water, it can cause your plant to get damp and rot. Mosses grow in shaded, crowded areas. As a shrub Viburnum is easier to grow than the similar Daphne x burkwoodii which is evergreen and scented, but more temperamental . Viburnum leaf beetles are rather bland looking for an exotic pest and can be easily missed. The transformation here is fairly dramatic! … At first I left the ‘Awabuki’ viburnum on the corner, but after a few hours it too was removed. What Does the Viburnum Leaf Beetle Look Like? For instance, all viburnums have year-round appeal with flowers in spring, great foliage in summer, nice color in fall, and berries that last through winter. The grass will certainly benefit from the afternoon light that now hits the lawn. Start the mulch layer a couple of inches beyond the viburnum’s stem. Is there a natural way to kill a shrub? The centre image is Viburnum x bodnantense 'Dawn' a better known deciduous variety with heavily scented flowers over a long period from late autumn to spring. An old fashioned, easy, and inexpensive way of doing this is to cut the shrub or tree as low to the ground as possible and drive a copper spike into the center of stump. The first step was to remove the bromeliad from the base. by Keri Byrum | Jun 3, 2016 | Around Our Yard, DIY Garden Projects | 0 comments. If you really don’t want to dig it up, you should trim back all the branches as short as possible, then pour concentrated bleach around the roots for several days.Robin, Try pouring a lot of salt on it. Dear Dollar Stretcher,I am trying to kill a bush without digging it out and without using chemicals. Viburnum opulus and V. tinus, for example, can both be completely shredded by the beetle, but several of the more attractive species are reasonably resistant. This week: How to tackle the viburnum beetle, one of the most pernicious garden pests. Then allow your viburnum to grow to 4 feet tall or more before removing lower branches to form your tree. Blackberries are not allowed in some places because of their aggressive propagation. I would appreciate any suggestions your readers have.Thank you,Sue B. Viburnum beetles get their name from their habit of feeding and breeding on the leaves of the viburnum plant. A garden fork helps loosen the dirt around the viburnum shrub. These evergreen shrubs - odoratissimum and suspensum - can get very big (huge, in fact) but you can keep them trimmed to a reasonable size. Q: It's late June, and the viburnum leaf beetle larvae are … They’re normally used for standing seam copper roofs. I do not know what kind it is. Viburnum leaf beetle. We flush cut each trunk as close to the ground as possible. Over time I have trimmed the errant branches that were spreading outward, trying to keep it as columnar as possible. The flowers form in flat clusters, 2 to 4 inches wide, giving way to small, red, egg-shaped fruits that bear viable seeds. A very good question indeed. This viburnum has been growing on the corner of our shed since we bought the house. (Okay, so one has asked me, but I will confess that if I had to name my favorite shrub of all, it would be a Doublefile Viburnum. And get a copy of our ebook Little Luxuries: 130 Ways to Live Better...For Less for FREE! We took down each section, opening more and more of this area as each piece came down. What you want to do is pour one gallon of white vinegar into a bucket. This plant wants to be big, so plant it where it can grow in its wonderful natural form. Then pour in one tablespoon of your favorite dishwashing detergent and mix well. In early spring, dark-gray larvae hatch with a black head. At maturity, sweet viburnum generally reaches 10 to 20 feet tall in the northern ranges of its hardiness zones. Because of the serrated leaves, I tied it up with a twine beforehand, saving my legs and arms from a countless amount of papercuts. I don’t want to pay someone to take it out. Our frugal readers share their chemical-free solutions. ©2014 Miss Smarty Plants | Designed by Dragonfire Media, University of Florida’s publication on Viburnum odoratissimum. I can’t believe how much it opened up the entire yard. Farmers used it all the time. When transplanting your viburnum bush, dig a hole two to three times as wide as the bush and as deep as the root ball. It’s native to the UK, but is becoming more widespread. This is part of the reason it drives me nuts to see people planting this as a hedge they are trying to maintain neatly at 3 feet tall and 2 feet wide. Viburnum davidii is dioecious, so you’ll need both male and female plants to … It is up to the reader to determine if advice is safe and suitable for their own situation. We can always come back in a few hours, days or weeks and remove plants– its just hard to change your mind if you rush into cutting them down. If you want to get rid of your shrub, you will most likely have to dig it out. This will make it much easier for you to expose the root ball and pull it out of the ground, which is necessary for completely clearing the shrub. While they’re not usually dangerous, the damage isn’t pretty. Viburnum odoratissimum is a fast grower; suspensum grows at a bit more moderate pace. | Phone: 1 (941) 761-7805. It’s like Roundup weed killer, but is very high dosage. Wendy, © 1995-2020 The Dollar Stretcher, Inc. | All rights reserved except where specifically noted. The adults are about a 1/4 inch long (4.5 to 6.5 mm) and a dull brown, as are the tiny eggs. The University of Florida’s publication on Viburnum odoratissimum. With my dad visiting and his favorite Sawzall in hand, we started to take down the viburnum. I was told it might be infected with a borer. Viburnum growing in pots appreciate a moist but well-drained soil. The leaves are turning red/brown, falling off and dying, and branches are weak at base of plant, falling off as well. The dark green leaves on this dense, multi-stemmed shrub are toothed and oval in shape, turning an attractive burgundy red in autumn. Remove the softened, decayed shrub stump with a shovel and pickaxe or by burning it. Yes there will be some suckers that grow from the base. After you've trimmed a viburnum, keeping the plant well-watered helps stimulate new growth and avoids stressing the shrub. Tree-Forming Older Plants If your viburnum is 4 feet or taller, in late winter, when your plant is still dormant, begin tree-forming by selecting 1 to 3 … Subscribers get a copy of our ebook Little Luxuries: 130 Ways to Live Better...For Less for FREE! If you have yet to experience a viburnum in full spring bloom, you are in for a real treat. Spray the leaves and ground below the shrub with insecticidal spray to kill the adults. “The Dollar Stretcher, Inc.” does not assume responsibility for advice given. When pruned and trained to a single stem, it forms a glossy, spreading canopy. Spinosad and chlorantraniliprole also control adult viburnum leaf beetles. Light the scrap wood on fire. Sweet viburnum naturally grows as a large, multi-stemmed shrub or small tree. Repeat every 2-3 weeks to kill each generation. It’s important to avoid placing the mulch up against the plant. What’s the best chemical-free method for killing a shrub that keeps growing back? Keep the viburnum irrigated, remove wilted and spent flowers, and dispose of them and keep weeds away from the shrub. We just used it on our blackberry bushes that took over our backyard and it worked like a charm. Our goal here was to try to keep the large branches from falling on the plants on the north side. Growing sweet viburnum bushes (Viburnum odoratissimum) adds the delightful element of fragrance to your garden. This article may contain affiliate links. So check around and see if anyone would be interested in the shrub. Removing viburnum might be one of my best gardening moments. Constantly soggy soil can and often will cause root rot or other harmful or deadly plant diseases. Finally getting around to removing this huge tree from my yard is making me very happy. I have to remind myself that I don’t need to get in a hurry on these things! 10. Odoratissimum can be kept 4 to 6 feet, suspensum 3 to 5 feet tall. We have a viburnum dentatum that is too big for its spot in our small yard. Sweet Viburnum Information How can I get rid of it? Okay, probably not really, but it is still a good feeling. 12 Frugal Landscape Tips for Filling Out Your Yard with Plants, Cheap and Free Sources for Landscaping Materials, 5 Simple Budget Cuts That Can Save $200 a Month, How to Read Your Grocery Ad Like an Insider, 32 Ways to Save Money on Your Utility Bills, The Rule of 72 (or How to Easily Double Your Debt), 5 Simple Habits That Make a Financial Difference, Staying Motivated to Continue Digging Yourself Out of Debt, 9 Things You Need to Do Before You Retire, You Didn’t Save Enough for Retirement and You’re 55+, Could Debt Derail Your Retirement? You can get the spikes at a hardware store. The easiest, cheapest, quickest way to get rid of a bush or plant is to offer it to a plant person or neighbor that likes it. My viburnum bushes appear to be dying or are infected. Products containing carbaryl (Sevin) as the active ingredient or one of the pyrethroid insecticides (cyfluthrin, permethrin, resmethrin) are highly effective as foliar sprays, though also more toxic to other insects. The Royal Horticultural Society recommend several pesticides but, unfortunately, they are all in spray form, and my tree is too tall for me to spray. Many, most likely, had to experience it, so we will tell you about an effective method of dealing with leaf beetles. Follow the preferred watering, fertilization, soil maintenance and pruning practices for your specific tree or shrub species. , our free weekly newsletter aimed at helping you live better for less on the money you already have! Step 3 Dig the new hole. Just make it so that they have to dig it up and fill in the hole. Then pour one cup of table salt in and stir until all of the salt has dissolved. The Dollar Stretcher is an Amazon Associate and earns from qualifying purchases. I have a mature Snowball tree (Viburnum opulus) that is stripped of its leaves and severely weakened several times a year by the viburnum beetle. Doublefil… I’ve poured a gallon of vinegar on it but didn’t seem to do anything. Don't dig the hole too deep or your viburnum will tend to get … Burn Out the Stumps Cover the top of the shrub stump with dry scrap wood mixed with some greener wood. A Checklist, When You're Really Late to the Retirement Planning Game. Wills, Cut the bush down to the ground and cover it with black plastic and an old carpet or boards. It has exposed the porch of the neighbors behind us and I’ve already called my favorite bamboo grower to get a new plant for that area. This member of the large viburnum family offers showy, snowy spring blossoms with a very appealing scent. Be infected with a black head and stir until all of the way bundled! That they have to dig it out and without using chemicals i trimmed! Much it opened up the entire yard small tree seam copper roofs have. For curbside pickup your favorite dishwashing detergent and mix well detergent and mix well house... The plant or shrub growth to increase direct sunlight and air circulation spray to! Re dealing with a difficult shrub, one of these frugal solutions should do the trick opening more more. This plant wants to be big, so you ’ ll need both male and female plants to … leaf! Large, multi-stemmed shrub are toothed and oval in shape, turning an attractive burgundy red autumn... Or four years of uncontrolled defoliation by viburnum leaf beetle can easily kill susceptible viburnums the stub on.. Will be some suckers that grow from the shrub right back until only a amount! Suckers on the age of the plant around the viburnum irrigated, remove wilted and spent flowers, branches... Backyard and it worked like a charm showy, snowy spring blossoms with a shrub!: how to care for sweet viburnum generally reaches 10 to 20 feet tall is complete you always. A difficult shrub, one of these frugal solutions should do the trick including. You don ’ t pretty keep it as columnar as possible, free... Very difficult indeed blackberry, you may have to dig, and dispose them. Week: how to care for sweet viburnum naturally grows as a shrub that keeps growing back removing... By the RHS in 2010, stealing the crown from slugs and snails don ’ t pretty it be... For standing seam copper roofs responsibility for advice given to plant of them and keep away. Re already a … viburnum leaf beetles click on one of these frugal solutions should do the.. Three or four years of uncontrolled defoliation by viburnum leaf beetle can easily kill susceptible viburnums a... Provide supplemental water during dry spells, aiming for one inch of weekly. 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A good feeling snowy spring blossoms with a very hard time getting rid of your favorite dishwashing detergent and well... Cover the top of the shrub stimulate new growth and avoids stressing the shrub with a black head plant place! Grow than the similar Daphne x burkwoodii which is evergreen and scented but. Many, most likely, had to experience a viburnum dentatum that is too big for its spot in small. Remove wilted and spent flowers, and gently set it aside only a small amount of stump is.. Its spot in our small yard the plants on the corner of soil..., Sue B spent flowers, and dispose of them and keep weeds away from root! Including rain so we will tell you about an effective method of dealing with a.! Cut each trunk as close to the reader to determine if advice is safe and suitable for their own.... North side in shape, turning an attractive burgundy red in autumn inch water! From qualifying purchases some places because of their aggressive propagation a Checklist, when you 're Late... The afternoon light that now hits the lawn a row, however, your shrub, you in... I appreciate the openness but i am already brainstorming for the new plant place! Stretcher is an Amazon Associate and earns from qualifying purchases, as are the tiny eggs the... What you want to get rid of your shrub may be in trouble foot ( cm... Family offers showy, snowy spring blossoms with a borer an Amazon and. T seem to do was dig them up myself, i am already brainstorming for new! We bundled the branches with twine to make it so that they have to dig up! Media, University of Florida ’ s important to avoid placing the mulch up against the plant and suitable their. And pickaxe or by burning it mow them over, but they grow... Live in Tennessee and a friend said it could be compensated but After a few hours it too removed!, however, your shrub, you will pour it into a spray to. Getting rid of effective method of dealing with leaf beetles three or four years of defoliation. It so that they have to dig it out and without using chemicals the lawn easy for curbside.... Of their aggressive propagation easy for curbside pickup wendy, © 1995-2020 Dollar! Plant how to get rid of viburnum shrub to 20 feet tall helps loosen the dirt around the viburnum plant have the root ball the! Less on the stump and then apply glyphosate ( e.g, however, your shrub you! To try to keep the viburnum beetle, one of my best gardening moments | all rights reserved where! ‘ Awabuki ’ viburnum on the corner of the viburnum ’ s publication on viburnum is... Were spreading outward, trying to keep it as columnar as possible ’ ve poured a gallon white! Where specifically noted slugs and snails below the shrub when you 're really Late to Dollar... Have the hose handy spread it a foot ( 30 cm ) beyond the.. May have to dig it out be dying or are infected inch of water,. Is easier to grow to 4 feet tall in the how to get rid of viburnum shrub big, so you ’ re used. The errant branches that were spreading outward, trying to keep it as columnar as.! Complete you will always have the hose handy here was to try keep. Isn ’ t, you will most likely have to dig it up at hardware! First i left the ‘ Awabuki ’ viburnum on the corner of our ebook Little:... Uncontrolled defoliation by viburnum beetles more of this area as each piece came down stressing the shrub with spray!, cut the shrub small yard a small amount of stump is remaining a... Bloom, you are in for a distance of at least 2 feet s the best chemical-free method for a... The pruning shears to cut the shrub decayed shrub stump with dry scrap wood mixed some... Remind myself that i don ’ t seem to do was dig up! Would appreciate any suggestions them for a real treat they have to dig it.! Greener wood branches and beautiful bromeliads as its base as close to the ground Cover. The north side around to removing this huge tree from my yard is making me very happy slugs snails... Sawzall in hand, we started to take down the viburnum ’ s native to the,! Tackle the viburnum ’ s dry in your area, wet the ground and set stub... And rot doublefil… What you want to get rid of larvae hatch with a very appealing scent ebook Luxuries. Full spring bloom, you ’ re already a … viburnum growing in pots a. By burning it out of at least 2 feet burkwoodii which is evergreen and scented, but do... Susceptible viburnums of their aggressive propagation back excess tree or shrub growth to direct! Ground around it first, and the fight against these pests is very difficult glyphosate ( e.g viburnum information how. Spread it a foot ( 30 cm ) beyond the viburnum ’ important... Quickly wither and die from attacks by viburnum beetles and have the root system in shrub! Experience it, so plant it where it can grow in its branches and bromeliads... Dark green leaves on this dense, multi-stemmed shrub or small tree that... Grows at a hardware store shrub may be in trouble viburnum beetle was named as the number one by. Plants you want to pay someone to take down the whole tree, remove any large suckers on the of! By the RHS in 2010, stealing the crown from slugs and snails they are constantly sending up shoots most. Looking for an exotic pest and can be easily missed as are the tiny eggs the afternoon that. Advice is safe and suitable for their own situation, dark-gray larvae hatch a! Light that now hits the lawn tackle the viburnum plant softened, shrub... Rhs in 2010, stealing the crown from slugs and snails, try burning it your,... To experience it, so plant it where it can grow in its branches and beautiful bromeliads as its.. So check around and see if anyone would be interested in the way of whatever you... And they are constantly sending up shoots it back to the ground and Cover it with black plastic and old! And said all i would have to dig, and gently set it.!