By Lathuile
United Kingdom 
We had a row of some 40 Ligustrum Ovalifolium 'Aureum' privit trees (about 18" high planted in a lawn 3 years ago. These grew well and were trimed and leveled after about a year when they got to about 2 ft, and all seemed healthy. Several months after that, 3 together and one about 6 trees away, died off, leaves turned brown and dropped off. We replaced these 4 (no sign of Honey Fungus) and dug deeper for the new trees, placed some manure, etc in a mix around the base. These fresh trees are growing OK.
We have now got another 3 in the same area dying. 2 together and 1 one tree along. All this problem is occuring in an area which was originally an old ditch (50 years ago), since then the ditch was piped and filled in, then Lilandi were in the area, and also a large cherry tree (20 ft) I attach a photo of the trees just before they started to die off. The area concerned is the far corner and mostly on the road frontage. Can you help?
16 Oct, 2010
Answers
Could be a fox, dogs or cats, spraying them on a regular basis. Can you smell this if that is the case, if so spray underneath with "sent off". Or it could be drying out in patches where the ditch was filled in.
16 Oct, 2010
I just want to make sure I've got this right - you're saying that 3 more are dying, and these 3 are in the same area where the 3 died before, but not the replacement plants you put in, they're growing okay? This area is the far corner, where I can see what appears to be 8 separate plants?
How far apart are the bushes planted?
16 Oct, 2010