How to treat for Murraya Hedges from stem borers?

[SteveJ]

Hi Community,

I'm looking for some advice on how to treat my Murraya hedges as it's currently getting worse from stem borers.

From my research this could be difficult to treat and I am not sure where to start. I have removed the dead branches where possible.

Would it be best to spray insecticide down the branch holes and just keep fertilising + watering?

If so, what would be some recommended insecticides and fertilisers to use from Bunnings for this specific borer and hedge?

Cheers,

Steve

[MitchellMc · Accepted solution]

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @SteveJ. It's marvelous to have you join us, and many thanks for your question about stem borers.

Here's an article you might like to read through: How to get rid of tree borers. Typically, the treatment involves isolating and removing the affected branches. These branches might need to be cut back quite severely in order to remove the borer from the hole. If there is still a hole in the branch, you'll need to cut back further until there is none. All this material should be binned and sent to waste; do not leave it around the garden, as you could risk re-infestation. Once the offending material has been removed, you can work on fertilising the plant. If you haven't done so in a while, you can apply feed and consider a tonic like Seasol.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell
 

[SteveJ]

Thanks for the advice, cutting back affected branches and fertilising for now. Fingers crossed!