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Help: Growing a topped hedge back.

zoe.bowden6zoe.bowden6 Posts: 5
edited March 2021 in Problem solving
Hi everyone, please can someone give me some advice on our hedge? We had it topped 12 months ago and too much was taken off. I'm desperate for it to grow at least 2m and to cover up on the top as it looks awful currently. 

There isn't any sign of growth on the top yet but it is growing out. One half of it was chopped at the back too whereas the otherside was left. 

Please tell me it will grow again and it will cover over? Is there any way I can speed up that growing too? 

It is growing outwards so I'm unsure if I should trim the front now to encourage it to grow up or if it needs longer to recover because it was pretty much halved in height. 

Also, do I need to trim any internal branches? 

Thanks everyone. Really regret topping it but it was unmanageable due to its size. We've lost a lot of privacy now though and it looks so bad on top. 

Thanks everyone. 😊 please see photos. 

Posts

  • ButtercupdaysButtercupdays Posts: 4,546
    I'm finding the pics confusing. If, as I assumed, the green hedge with the bald top is how it looks now, how do all the bare trunks and branches relate?
    Simple fact: most conifers do not regrow if cut into brown wood.
    You can trim the front of your hedge by lightly cutting the green shoots to prevent it getting wider. If you leave it looser, some of the branches at the top may extend upwards a little and help to mask the brown top. The brown branches will not re-shoot or grow higher. The bare trunks and brown branches you are also stuck with. You may be able to mask them in some way, but this is not always successful.
    The only other solution, I'm afraid, is to scrap the lot and start again.
  • zoe.bowden6zoe.bowden6 Posts: 5
    edited March 2021
    Hi there

    Thanks for your comment. All photos taken today. It is very green on the front but the top is bare. I'm looking for advice and confirmation on whether new shoots will grow from the bare trunks to grow up and cover the top along with gaining height. 

    I appreciate that cutting the greenery away won't regrow but I'm wanting to promote new branches from the top. 

    The hedge is very wide hence a lot of brown inside which is fine. 

    The bare branches are on the top and the back. 

    Thank you 
  • rachelQrtJHBjbrachelQrtJHBjb Posts: 819
    Unfortunately, the contractors who cut your hedge did not warn you (or have scant knowledge) that conifers cut back in this manner will not regenerate. As a rule, you do not cut into dead wood, you have to leave it green in order for the plant to keep producing new foliage. Yew is one of the few exceptions.

    On the side that is bare the only option I would usually suggest is to try and grow something evergreen up the face to disguise the trunks. However, I see it is against a fence so that's not going to be possible. With regard to the top, the best bet is to try and let the sides grow upwards and see if that helps disguise the dead centre. The centre of the plant will not regenerate.

    I wish I could deliver better news.


  • ButtercupdaysButtercupdays Posts: 4,546
    New shoots will not grow from the bare trunks.
    Conifers do not regrow from brown wood.
  • KT53KT53 Posts: 9,016
    Our neighbour cut his conifer hedge down from about 12 feet to 8 about 10 years ago.  Only in the past year or so has it put on enough growth to hide the previously bald top.
  • AnniDAnniD Posts: 12,585
    The only conifer that l know that will come back from a cut back on the top like that is thuja plicata (Western red cedar). My OH cut back quite hard into the sides and top of our hedge some years ago, but it took several years for them to fill in again, and the sides needed additional plants in places to cover the gaps. They was still some green growth left on the trunks. 
    If they are Leylandii then to the best of my knowledge they will not regrow or re sprout.
  • zoe.bowden6zoe.bowden6 Posts: 5
    Oh dear. I was really hoping it would grow up as I've walked past a few hedges that have been topped and looks like new shoots have come out the sides forming new top branches.  :-( Thanks everyone! 
  • zoe.bowden6zoe.bowden6 Posts: 5
    Just a quick one. Do you think it will grow up from the bottom at all? Thanks 
  • KT53KT53 Posts: 9,016
    zoe.bowden6 said:
    Oh dear. I was really hoping it would grow up as I've walked past a few hedges that have been topped and looks like new shoots have come out the sides forming new top branches.  :-( Thanks everyone! 

    You will get branches coming up from the side as long as there is still some green for it to grow from.  Most conifers will not put up new growth from old wood.  If you can see the hedges you refer to from above you would probably see new growth at the outer edges but no growth in the middle.  A bit like male pattern baldness :-)
  • zoe.bowden6zoe.bowden6 Posts: 5
    Haha! Hoping the top branches grow enough to cover over from the front! Please grow!
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