How to treat bushes turning yellow?

[dio612]

 Bushes are turning yellow when the same type right beside these are green. Ive tried adding a slow release fertiliser and sugercane mulch but i dont think it’s helping.

[JacobZ]

Hi @dio612,

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community, it's fantastic to have you with us.

It looks like you have Japanese Box Hedges, which are a popular evergreen shrub used in gardens for their neat appearance, dense foliage, and ability to be shaped easily.

Are the plants that are affected more exposed to wind and the elements than those that are staying green?

To me, this looks like winter bronzing, which is a natural response to cold, bright winter conditions, particularly in young plants. It's a temporary phenomenon, and the plants typically return to a vibrant green in the spring.

You might consider creating a wind block around them to protect them from the harsh winds. You could use ultraposts with shade sail to make a basic wind block.

I would not be too concerned at this point, as they still look healthy, but it is worth monitoring to see if anything changes.

Allow me to tag our experienced gardeners @Noelle and @mich1972 to see what they think.

Let me know if you have any further questions.

Jacob

[dio612]

The plants are all along a pathway & it's mainly just the ones in the middle that are turning yellow. 

What would be the next stage if they continue to progress? At what point would I need to take further action?

[JacobZ]

Hi @dio612,

Being evergreens, they shouldn't be losing their leaves in winter, so if they started dropping leaves or the leaves started to dry out and look like there is no moisture in them, I would start to look further.

If this happens, there's a good chance something in the soil will be to blame.

Have a read through How to diagnose a sick plant for some guidance on what to look for and how to address it.

Let me know if you have any further questions.

Jacob

[dio612]

Thanks for the information @JacobZ !

I have another question, but if i was weeding around the plants and i accidentally affected some of the roots would that be detrimental?

[JacobZ]

Hi @dio612,

If you were severing a lot of roots, then yes, it could be detrimental, but I can't imagine you would have done much damage if you were just pulling out weeds.

I would expect to see a much less healthy plant if you had done major damage to the root system.

Just keep an eye on them, they don't look so unhealthy that they won't bounce back.

Jacob

[dio612]

Ok thanks @JacobZ !