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News
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The war on boxwood blight enlists Oregon homeowners
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2/22/2012
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Article Content Suggested lead
Homeowners and garden enthusiasts in Oregon are being warned this spring to beware of boxwood blight:
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Audio 01
Oregon's important nursery industry has already gotten the word. Now its time to inform the public about boxwood blight:
HILBURN: "There's a new disease that is spreading in the country. It's early in the process, so we have the chance of keeping it out of Oregon and keeping it from becoming a problem here." :10
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Audio 02
Dan Hilburn of the Oregon Department of Agriculture says at least a couple of nurseries in the state have detected the disease and are taking steps to eradicate the blight. Homeowners who have boxwood hedges or individual boxwood plants are advised to keep a close eye this spring to see any symptoms of dying or affected plants. The loss of leaves starting from the bottom of the plant is one indication. There's another piece of advice for anyone wanting to plant new boxwood:
HILBURN: "They need to be very careful when they buy new boxwoods, to buy from reputable dealers and buy healthy plants, and don't buy anything that looks like it might not be perfectly healthy- even if it's on sale." :12
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Oregon is now one of nine states detecting the disease so far. The fungus that causes the disease only affects boxwood, which is not a native plant in Oregon. That makes the threat far less than the one posed by sudden oak death. But with boxwood hedges a popular ornamental plant in yards and landscapes, ODA wants to keep the disease in check by alerting nurseries and the public. In Salem, I'm Bruce Pokarney.
Additional audio: Audio 03
HILBURN has simple advice for homeowners who already have boxwood hedges and plants in their yard:
"Pay attention to your boxwoods, especially when the conditions are like they are here in the spring. It gets warm and wet, and that's what the fungus likes." :08
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Additional audio: Audio 04
HILBURN says the best way to deal with boxwood blight and other new, invasive plant diseases is to not let them get started in the first place:
"That's why this is an important topic. We just need people to be aware of their boxwoods and be aware that- that doesn't look the way it did in the past, I better check that out. If everybody had that attitude, we could stop this one." :14
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Full story
http://oregon.gov/ODA/news/120222boxwood.shtml
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