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Privet plants (Ligustrumspp.)
It handles most soils and various temperatures, from freezing winters to hot summers.
How to Identify Privet
Privet shrubs have dense, oval, or lance-shaped, glossy green leaves.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
Some keep their leaves as evergreens, while others are deciduous and drop them in winter.
The fruits and leaves of privet are toxic to humans and pets.
Privet Care
Privets have a quick growth rate and can be planted in the spring or fall.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
Sun will bring out the best color in the foliage.
However, they can tolerate partial shade conditions as well.
Soil
These shrubs tolerate various soil types if the soil has sharp drainage.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
Water
Young privet shrubs do well with a deep weekly watering if they havent received any rainfall.
Temperature and Humidity
In cooler climates, privet shrubs typically drop their leaves in the fall.
Thus, they cant provide year-round privacy as a hedge.
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The different species have various temperature requirements.
Fertilizer
Use a15-5-10 fertilizer(or a fertilizer specifically for broadleaf shrubs) in the early spring.
Then, following the label instructions, apply another round of fertilizer in the fall.
Types of Privet
Privet plants in theLigustrumgenus have a classic look when running along aproperty border.
Lightly pruning a few times throughout the summer will encourage denser, bushier growth with more branching.
If you wait too long, you might remove new buds by mistake.
Hand-cutting by itself is not effective enough because sprouts will emerge from the stump.
Propagating Privet
Gardeners usually venture to get rid of privet because it spreads aggressively and uncontrollably.
More serious fungal diseases that will kill privet include anthracnose and twig blight.
Pests that often visit privet include aphids, leaf miners, scale, mealybugs, and mites.
They don’t usually affect the overall plant health.
Common Problems with Privet
Privet is easy to grow but tends to overgrow a favorable spot.
Keep a privet hedge manageable with frequent pruning, at least two to four times per growing season.
The growth rate of privets can vary, so pick a variety that wont overwhelm your yard.
Pruning Problems
A privet hedge can develop bare spots if it is not properly pruned.
Shearing the tops encourages the side shoots to grow.
Leaves Turn Brown or Fall Off
Privet needs regular watering to remain healthy.
High heat and drought will cause leaf browning and leaf loss.
Keep the plant well watered; however, do not overwater.
Soggy soil will cause root rot and could cause leaf loss, too.
They produce dense thickets that choke out all other native species.
Non-invasive alternatives to Chinese privet areinkberryorblackhaw viburnum.
These shrubs are native to North America.
When it gets sufficient water and nutrients, privet grows fast, roughly 1 to 2 feet per year.
University of Illinois Urbana-Champlain.
NC State University Cooperative Extension.
Toxic and Non-Toxic Plants: Common Privet.ASPCA.
Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, Connecticut State.
