Beech Hedge

hfmitchell · May 2020

Can you help please? I have just planted a Beech hedge and something horrible is happening to it - some leaves have a grey powder on top and some leaves are all brown around the edges.

Fairygirl · May 2020

It's highly likely that it's a bit of weather damage, coupled with being dry, which creates some powdery mildew.
Can you upload a pic? The wee icon that looks like a mountain is the one to use. If the pic doesn't load, try resizing it to below 1MB

hfmitchell · May 2020

Thank you very much. I have uploaded some photos but will do so again.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/6030279/uploads/editor/zl/6f0bo8urqo0s.jpg

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/6030279/uploads/editor/jx/agxg9w4q0vn7.jpg

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/6030279/uploads/editor/hw/6ilpnaapmkit.jpg

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/6030279/uploads/editor/g6/qawt5q4mzkak.jpg

Fairygirl · May 2020

Have you got photos of the hedge in situ though?
The surroundings, and how they're planted gives a better picture [literally!] of any problems

Also - what prep of the site was done before planting, and what care have they had?

hfmitchell · May 2020

Hedge photos attached. We bought them in containers as big as you see them in the first photo. When planting, we dug holes a little larger than the container size, put a little John Innes, no 2 potting compost in first, then the plant, then put compost mixed with topsoil around the sides until firm. Watered. Watered again periodically. We check the hedge every day and have been noticing these problems recently.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/6030279/uploads/editor/7l/fa3vtuutd78c.jpg

Fairygirl · May 2020

Ok - I don't think there's too much wrong there.

I should have asked whereabouts you are, but it doesn't really matter.
Ideally - they would have been watered more frequently, especially as they're quite big, but they look well enough. It's good practice to prune them back a bit, which may seem counter intuitive, but it helps them to bush out more quickly, and thicken up. Smaller specimens are easier. They may have had a little frost damage too, which has nipped the soft new growth.
Beech is tough, and it's likely that they've just been a bit dry. New hedging always needs a lot of watering until well established- which can be several months, depending on when they were planted, and their size etc.
The small holes you've dug, as opposed to a proper border, means they've had to compete a bit more for water and nutrients.
I wouldn't be too worried though - but it would help if you cleared the bases a bit more of the grass. A bit of a prune back will also help, and don't stint on the watering in long dry spells

hfmitchell · May 2020

Thank you so much for your help, we are very grateful. We will do as you say and see what happens. Just one more question, when we prune, do we trim off the top centre branch before it reaches the height we require? Some of the branches are a bit bare, shall we prune these down to a growth? Also, are we right to remove the damaged leaves? We live in Newport, Essex. Thank you again.

Fairygirl · May 2020

Yes - you can take the tips out to encourage branching out - anywhere really.

I expect it's a bit drier where you are , so definitely keep up the watering.

You can take the damaged leaves off, or just let them drop. It'll grow new ones. If you can keep the bases clear of grass, that will help, and it'll be easier to spot any weeds and remove those as well. If you can get any - a layer of bark after a thorough watering will help to retain moisture too.

hfmitchell · May 2020

Thank you again, we feel better already! We'll keep you posted on how it goes.
kind regards
Hilary

Fairygirl · May 2020

Fingers crossed - it'll be a lovely hedge in a couple of years

Beech Hedge

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