Beech hedge dies mainly due to Beech Leaf disease. Beech Hedge also shows dying signs due to heat stress. Frost damage could also weaken your Beech hedge. Aphids feed on the leaves of Beech hedge and damage the aesthetics of the hedge.
Beech plants are native to the United Kingdom. They are popular hedging plants that may be called semi-evergreen.
Beech hedges have bright, fluttery foliage that turns into coppery orange/brown foliage in the autumn. It slowly fades away its color going into summer.
If you know your hedges, beech hedges are easy to grow. Sometimes people do run into some issues with them.
Why is my new Beech Hedge dying?
Beech hedge shows dying signs due to frost damage. Newly planted Beech Hedge suffers from heat stress easily. Overwatering causes root rot, which can kill the Beech hedge too.
Frost Damage
New Beech hedges can be attacked by frost damage as they are yet to establish well in the soil. This occurs after the leaves just emerged.
Frost damages the new, tender growth of Beech foliage. Affected leaves become brown and shrivel quickly.
The plant produces new foliage after a couple of weeks and it recovers soon. You just need to wait and not panic.
Heat Stress
Newly planted Beech plants suffer from heat stress and drought easily. This is due to the fact that their roots aren’t still established.
You need to continue watering them adequately. Just make sure you’re not overwatering them as this can cause Root rot.
Why is my Beech tree turning brown?
Beech leaves turn brown due to frost damage. Beech trees could also turn brown due to leaf scorch. Leaf scorch happens when the hedge is exposed to direct sun for long hours. Beech leaves turn brown when there’s herbicidal damage.
Leaf scorch
Leaf scorch is seen in established trees too. This disorder is mostly seen in the hedges that grow in full sun and windy places.
Newly planted hedges are more prone to sun damage.
Herbicidal damage
Herbicide may have gotten on your Beech tree while you were spraying the other tree. This causes the scorched appearance of leaves.
Is the browning on one side? Is it on the side where the plant gets the most wind? Have you recently sprayed a herbicide on a neighboring plant?
Signs:
- Curling or cupped leaves and stems.
- Stunted growth.
- Leaves with brown spots.
There’s nothing you can do to fix herbicidal damage to leaves. If the herbicide is heavy in the soil, you can flush it with excess water.
Beech Hedge leaves turning yellow
Beech hedge leaves turn yellow and wilt due to a disease called Beech Leaf Disease. This disease is caused by a nematode. It can kill young trees in a couple of years if not a year.
Signs:
- Striping, and curling of the leaves. Leaves become leathery.
- In early infestations, only a few leaves may be infected. After a while, the insects wither and yellow.
- Reduced leaf and bud production may occur.
- Leaf loss may be seen in the summer months. A single tree may have both affected and non-affected leaves.
The hedge may be hungry
Beech hedge needs a lot of nutrients in the growing season. It needs to produce a lot of foliage and needs to establish well.
You should make sure the soil has sufficient nutrients. You may add some liquid/granule feed with high nitrogen or some poultry manure pellets.
What is eating my Beech Hedge?
Woolly Beech Aphids eat Beech leaves and curl up the leaves. They can be found on the undersides of the leaves. Beech Scale insect feeds on the bark of the Beech tree and leaves distinct damage on the bark.
Beech Hedge Aphids
Beech plants can often be seen affected by aphids called Beech Woolly Aphids. These aphids attack the Beech Hedge specifically.
These look like cotton wool and can be found on the lower side of the affected plant. Under this protective layer, there lie yellow-colored pesky aphids.
They suck up plant sap. They secrete honeydew and pave the way for a fungal infection called Sooty mold. This grows on the damaged parts.
When do Beech Hedge Aphids appear?
Beech Hedge Aphids are active from late April/Early May until midsummer. They lay eggs in this time period which stay dormant till the spring.
Why is my Beech tree sticky?
Beech Woolly Aphids secrete a sugary substance called ‘Honeydew’. This substance causes stickiness on the surface of the leaves.
The presence of honeydew attracts a variety of fungi, which leads to the development of ‘Sooty Mold’ on the surface of leaves.
Beech Woolly Aphid treatment
If the plants affected are well established, the aphids can’t do much damage. There’s no way to control these pests in a well-established plant as you can’t spray the whole plant properly.
If the plants are newly planted then look for signs of the infection. If caught early they can be eliminated using an insecticide.
Beech Scale Insect
Beech scale insects feed on Beech sap and they live in the crevices of bark on the Beech tree. They are found in clusters in the bark.
The scale insects are mostly active from June to November. The scale insect doesn’t produce honeydew but the infection could lead to Beech Bark disease, a fungal infection.
Their presence is quite common in Beech trees and they aren’t usually harmful. Do check the bark occasionally for fungal infections.
Is your Beech Hedge losing leaves?
Beech hedge loses a lot of leaves during autumn and winter, this is entirely natural. Foliage will grow back in the spring. If the Beech is grown as a hedge then you won’t see a loss of foliage even in the winter.
Incorrect Trimming
Trimming is vital for any hedge to thrive well. This needs to be done at the right time to achieve the best visible results.
You should resort to trimming the plant only after it’s well-established (2 years old).
How to:
- You should trim the Beech hedge this way: / \, but a bit steeper. This is to ensure that even the lower branches get sunlight.
- If the hedge faces south, you can cut it this way: | \, where the straight side faces the south.
- You need to cut your hedge twice a year. Once in early June and the second time in early August/late August.
Frequently Asked Questions
People send me many queries in the mail. They are curious about many things related to the Beech tree. I’ll try to answer them here.
When should I fertilize my Beech Hedge?
Fertilize your Beech plants only during the growth phase. You can fertilize Beech hedges in the spring. Start in July and fertilize the plants at regular intervals.
Can I cut the Beech Hedge in April?
Beech hedges are usually trimmed down in August. They will recover after a while and be ready for the winter. They can be cut back in April if you really need to maintain their size.
How long do Beech hedges live?
Beech hedges are easy to plant and care for. Once planted they can last for hundreds of years. So, take good care of them, they’ll become a part of your family heritage.