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Beech hedgeing

I cut my beech hedge last Thursday and yesterday I noticed that a lot of the leaves have started to go brown its 8 years old 
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  • AnniDAnniD Posts: 12,585
    This is just a guess, but l wonder if you cut it in full sunlight and possibly the leaves were scorched. 
    It may be worth giving it a good watering and some mulch, but l will admit to being no expert on beech hedges.
    Hopefully bumping this up will draw the attention of a beech hedge expert.
    Welcome  to  the forum by the way :) 


  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    It'll be fine. It'll grow new ones  :)

    Unless there's already something wrong with it , of course, but  beech is usually quite resilient.
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • Thanks for your help 
  • Thanks AnniD I did cut the hedge in full sun light so that could be the answer . I  went do that again cheers😊
  • bédébédé Posts: 3,095
    Does anyone have Spider Mite on their beech hedge?


     location: Surrey Hills, England, ex-woodland acidic sand.
    "Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
  • bédébédé Posts: 3,095
    edited August 2021
    The standard recommendation for greenhouse red spider mite is to raise humidity.  This is not easy on an extensive area of hedge.  Certainly not when you can't reach the neighbours' sides.

    This year, so far, we have been free from the pest - blame the weather (Surrey).
    But last year was bad.  I can diagnose other peoples infestations from my car.

    The symptoms are:
    The leaves become a bit shrivelled up and sticky with fine cobwebbing on the back
    With a magnifying glass you can see the mites (what Americans call, two spot mite )
    In the autumn the leaves fall.  Just what you don't want on a beech hedge.


     location: Surrey Hills, England, ex-woodland acidic sand.
    "Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    edited August 2021
    @bede … You are very unlikely to have ‘greenhouse’  Red Spider Mite in a beech hedge in the UK. 

    Much more likely that it is Beech Spider Mite … specific to beech and first recorded in the UK
    about 16 years ago. 

    It can cause bronzing of the foliage but no serious deleterious effect and can be ignored. 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • bédébédé Posts: 3,095
    edited August 2021
    Loss of overwintering leaves IS a serious deleterious effect to a decorative beech hedge..  There seems to be no damage to future growth, but it certanly can't be ignored.

    The RHS entomolgists called it "European Spider Mite", but offered no practical advice as to how to spray a hedge.  He took away samples, but never reverted.

    This year I was prepared to spray affected areas with home-made rapeseed oil emulsion.  Cheap enough for the large amount of hedging I have.  But not (yet) needed.
    2020 autumn. it was spreading locally (Surrey).

    PS. How do you get your location to appear?


     location: Surrey Hills, England, ex-woodland acidic sand.
    "Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    It’s aesthetic … it doesn’t damage the growth of the hedge. When are you pruning?

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • bédébédé Posts: 3,095
    edited August 2021
    Yes it's aesthetic. But isn't that part of what gardens are about.  It also damages winter privacy.

    I am pruning now.  I start in June with the sides, as soon as the new growth starts to grow out (inceasing hedge width).  I come back in July and August to do the tops after seconary growth is almost stopped, and give a tidy-up to the sides.

    This year, I am behind having missed a lot of time through, 1. hot sun, 2. constant rain or lingering wet.
     location: Surrey Hills, England, ex-woodland acidic sand.
    "Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
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