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Replacing conifer hedge
I need to replace a conifer hedge (about 4 feet high), which contains 5 trees, each about 5 inches in diameter with something else that’s evergreen. The hedge is past it’s best and just needs refreshing with something else. Is it best to completely remove as much root as possible and start from scratch (a lot of work!) or can I cut the conifers down and kill them off and plant in between the stumps? Please can I have some advice on what to do and what I could replace them with. Many thanks in advance!
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Might be easier to cut them down to around 2ft, loosen around the root area with a mattock if you have one or a fork or spade then grab the trunk and rock it back and forth.
Or hire a reciprocating saw to cut the stump off well below ground level or find a friend with a chain saw.
If you remove them it will be so much easier to dig over the area, beef up the soil and replant.
Once they're out, improve the soil with a good, thick layer of well-rotted garden compost and/or manure before you plant your new hedge. What you choose will depend on how high you want it, how dense and how evergreen/colourful/scented.
I do have to wonder why a conifer hedge with such teeny trunks is past its best. Given decent care they can last decades, if not centuries. have you nelglected to prune/water/feed it? Or has it got that conifer pest?
You could certainly do that, but, as with many projects of that type, it's all in the prep. It's quite a big task to do the raised bed etc too.
As long as you make the bed deep enough [front to back] and fill it with a really good mix of soil/compost/manure to give it enough substance, and then plant laurels at a suitable size, it should be fine. Copious watering as well for them on planting. If you can leave the planting till later in the year, when conditions might be more favourable, that will help with establishing them.
Here's the link to the thread about laurels - it has all the info you'll need about size and aftercare etc
https://forum.gardenersworld.com/discussion/656523/help-needed-please-with-laurel-hedge-issues/p1
It's rather long I'm afraid, but worth looking at!
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...