How do you dispose of a bush that is infested with viburnum leaf beetle?
Question:
I have a large 15 x15 foot cranberry bush viburnum that is heavily infested with viburnum leaf beetle. I am going to cut it down before spring but want to know how I should dispose of it so that the beetles do not spread. I do not think that it would be wise to haul the brush to the transfer station. Suggestions?
Answer:
Jonathan Foster, Community Education Assistant
I’m sorry to hear about the loss of your viburnum, but thank you for your caution with the debris, as the beetles can spread from infected material.
Generally with disposal of heavily infected plant specimens where there is a worry of transmission, we recommend either disposing of the material in the trash (as you mention) or burning it. Composting it is not advised (the Morton Arboretum is a very well-known botanical garden outside Chicago), but I think if it were bagged as mentioned in the article or otherwise protected from blowing about on the trip, it should be fine to take it to the transfer station. I would make sure they trash or incinerate it and not use it for municipal compost, if that’s an option where you are. If, on the other hand, that amount of plant material is prohibitive to haul bagged, burning is the other option.