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Lellandii hedge

Jacqueline.pearson111Jacqueline.pearson111 Posts: 1
in Problem solving
Hi
My garden is bordered by a lellandii hedge about 5ft high belonging to my neighbours. I trim my side and it has always been healthy looking. They trim the top too short and they have large bushes at their side close up to the hedge where now the hedge is dead and brown on both sides, hence looking ugly on my side.
Any suggestions???
I also keep my bins next to the hedge by my gate and the hedge is slightly brown behind them, is there a connection???
Thanks folks

Posts

  • GemmaJFGemmaJF Posts: 2,286
    We had Leylandii at the front of the house when I moved in. Unfortunately in my experience once it is back to the hard brown wood, it does not recover.

    Hope someone has a more positive contribution.

    I still rate having the whole lot removed and replacing it with Yew as one of the best decisions I ever made.
  • ButtercupdaysButtercupdays Posts: 4,546
    If you are on reasonably friendly terms with them, maybe you could suggest one day while chatting, that their nice bushes looked like they need more room, and maybe it would be a good idea to say goodbye to the conifers as they look like they are dying...?
    That's if they are nice bushes, of course, or at least better than Leylandii!
  • young codgeryoung codger Posts: 543
    edited June 2020
    In my experience of Leyladii, the brown areas tended to be near the bottom. Even then it was minimum. I never worked out what caused it-but assumed lack of water? I just used to trim the brown bits off. They are alright now.

    Of course, in your case you may feel it would be too drastic to trim all the brown areas off, as it would leave areas looking rather bald. I tend to go with the theory that "cutting" stimitates new growth. I would take a gamble and cut all the brown areas off, but it is your choice.

    In reference to your neighbour's large bushes close to the Lleylandii, that could be the reason for shortage of water. Do you have access to put copious amounts of water around the base-especially at this time of year, or is there a fence inbetween?
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    edited June 2020
    @young codger the problem is your theory that ‘cutting stimulates new growth’ doesn’t work with Leylandii and most firs as they don’t make new growth from old wood. 

    That’s why a vast number of Leylandii hedges have brown patches ... they’ve been trimmed back too hard and will not regrow. 

    See here ... scroll down to the section on overgrown hedges


    ☹️ 


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





  • young codgeryoung codger Posts: 543
    Personally I would rather have bald areas than all the brown patches. Hence why I said to the OP "It's your choice" 
  • sampullmansampullman Posts: 30
    When we moved into our house seven years ago we had Leylandii bushes nearly 15ft tall. Had three professional quotes all in the region of £1,500 to trim them down half the height. All pros told me that cutting the tops won't stop upward growth but trimming the sides further than the green leaves would result in brown dead bushes that don't grow back.

    I did the job myself and unfortunately in some places I have been a bit over eager with my upkeep of the sides and true enough once the brown is exposed there's no regrowth.  

    Usually the bottom of     Leylandii goes brown because the top of the bush keeps the lower branches in the shade. I think your bin also restricts sunlight, hence the dead branches. If it was lack of water I would logically expect the lower branches get the lions share of any water so the top would suffer.

    I agree with @GemmaJF that replacement is probably your best bet. It's costly initially but better in the long run.

    As one of the pros who quoted me told me "I love     Leylandii they keep my business going".
  • ButtercupdaysButtercupdays Posts: 4,546
    The problem is, it's not her hedge!
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