Why do I have a gap in my Pittosporum hedge?

[oonie]

I have a beautiful thick pittostrum hedge and all of a sudden it has got a bare patch.  I cant see any bugs on it but all the leaves have been stripped off the branch. Is it a sick tree or a well hidden bug.  

[EricL]

Hello @oonie 

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community. It's sensational to have you join us, and thanks for sharing your question about your Pittosporum hedge.

It is difficult to hazard a guess as to what could be causing the damage to your hedge especially if it is occurring in a single spot only. As you mentioned there seems to be no bugs infesting the hedge. I propose doing a bit of an investigation by looking at the condition of your hedge. 

Is the damaged area discoloured? Is the soil below it wet and damp? Are there any strange smells emanating from the plant itself? Are there any signs of drying patches occurring elsewhere along the length of the hedge? Do you see any animal or pet footprints near the damaged hedge?

Any other thing you can observe that might be out of the ordinary will help us in diagnosing your plant. In the meantime, I suggest having a quick look at this guide -How to diagnose a sick plant by @Noelle. If you can also post a photo of the damaged section of the hedge, it would be very much appreciated as well. 

If you have any other questions we can help with, please let us know.

Eric

[oonie]

Hi Eric,

thanks for your reply. Apologies for the incorrect spelling of my hedge.  To answer your questions the area is not discoloured at all and no smells coming from the hedge.  The soil is damp around the base of the plant but we have had so much rain lately and the rest of the hedge is as wet as this section. I can’t see any animal footprints but i am not sure if anything could reach this section as it is fairly high up from the ground, just wondering if maybe a possum could eat it as there are possums around at night. I have also seen a fox but not sure how high they can jump and why it wouldn’t choose an area closer to the ground.  

I will attempt to upload some photos for you to please check out. 

[EricL]

Hi @oonie 

The leaves and branches look healthy and there appears to be no infestation on the plant itself. There is no indication of fungal infection, and the hedge is mature and established. All I can suggest at this point is to watch and observe and see if any other symptoms appear. 

Let me call on our experienced members @Noelle and @mich1972 for their opinion on what could have caused the damage.  

If you have any other questions we can help with, please let us know.

Eric

[Noelle]

Hi @oonie 

It looks more like a pruning problem than anything else - maybe that small section has been pruned back into old wood that doesn't want to re-generate? It is not something I would get too stressed about - it is likely to cover over in time if the trimming is done correctly.

[oonie]

Hi Eric,

thanks for your advice. 

Oonie