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Planting after conifer removal?

Standen1Standen1 Posts: 65
in Problem solving
Hi everyone
we are having a conifer hedge removed soon and hopefully the roots / stumps removed as well( the hedge is over 30 yrs old, although cut every year it started to die off in places a couple of years ago - I think it was attacked by something and half of the hedge is now dead) I know we will have to put lots of compost in to improve soil but how long will we have to leave it before we can plant a hedge there? 
We’re not sure what to replace it with but would like something evergreen that will grow to about 6’ max - grateful for any ideas.
many thanks

Posts

  • fidgetbonesfidgetbones Posts: 17,618
    Plant holly or yew in the winter. October to February, but when the ground is not frozen. You can probably order now for  october delivery. Smaller plants establish quicker than large plants. Nothing will grow to 6 ft and stay there. you will need to cut at least once a year, but yew and holly are not thugs like Leylandii or lawsons cypress.
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    We took a 100’ row of conifers out in the winter, that had also been in almost 30 years, all I did was put plenty of chicken pellets in the ground, then planted up in the following spring. From then on I just use plenty of mulch whenever we have enough to pile on. 
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • Standen1Standen1 Posts: 65
    Thanks Lyn and fidgetbones - really useful info. 
    The hedge is at the front between ours and next door alongside parking spaces for cars and where children play so holly won’t be appropriate and concerned that yew has poisonous berries? 
    I had heard about using chicken pellets - can you get them from garden centers?
    we are now thinking of doing something different by using choysia, my concern here though is the width it may grow to so it would need a lot of care probably but will smell nice when in flower 😀

    has as anyone tried using choysia as a hedge / any thoughts on this?

    thank you
  • hogweedhogweed Posts: 4,053
    The council here use Photinia as a hedge - very nice colour but if width is an issue I would stick to yew. We had a yew hedge when I was young - loads of kids - not an issue. 
    'Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement' - Helen Keller
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