Care Guide for Privet (Ligustrum jonandrum)

Watering. This plant requires regular watering three times a week. Feel the soil and make sure it is damp to the touch, not sodden and not tinder dry. This type of watering needs little and often, rather than large quantities of water in one go.

Clipping. Small leaf privet grows rapidly and needs clipping quite often in the summer months. It tends to start its growth a bit later than other topiary plants but once it has started it needs clipping every two to three weeks. It stops growing around September time and remains the same shape until the next spring.

Feeding. This plant produces white flowers in the summer which turn into small black berries in the autumn. These flowers and berries make the plant very attractive but mean that feeding is very important. Please use a liquid feed every two to three weeks and a boost feed of ‘Osmacote’ to ensure a good leaf development.

Treatment. This plant is susceptible to Red Spider Mite and benefits from spraying once a year. It also needs treatment for Vine Weevil in the last week of June and the first week in July. Chemical treatments for both of these can be bought in your local Garden Centre.

General information. Small leaf privet is not fully hardy, so if it is placed in a exposed position we would suggest you protect from any severe cold spells of the winter.