Laurels can be really hacked back hard and will recover and grow. I had to move one a year or two ago. It was cut back to that size [from around five or six feet in both directions] dug up and replanted, and is now a couple of feet in both directions again. It isn't even in a very hospitable part of the garden - behind the shed and in among other trees. I have another one in the front garden which I had to cut right back to a couple of feet last autumn, to access something else. It was about the same height, or bigger, and is beside two other mature shrubs - a holly and a mahonia. It'll be doing well by summer. I don't have to water them or do anything else to them here. The climate does that for me.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
One related question. Since now there will be a lot more light hitting the ground, I want to plant some vegetables in the space between the laurels. Any recommendations. This area gets quite windy as it is situated in a wind tunnel - as I am next to the river. This is North side - but does not ever get much of direct sun as it is between two really tall buildings.
My laurels are prone to mildew, and sometime shot hole. Last year I tried cabbages - but were destroyed by the caterpillars. And the garden is also prone to loads and loads of snails and slugs - so peppers are also out. Zucchinis had done very wll previously in a different spot. The soil is very very well drained and really really deep - maybe 4 feet or so
Would like to avoid anything which requires a lot of water as I do not have a watering system and need to cover a relatively large area
I’m sorry, I understand that you want to make the most of the space you have, but I can’t think of any vegetables that will grow successfully between laurels … the roof systems of laurels are large, spreading and very greedy.
You would be wasting your time and energy.
As soon as you’ve cut those laurels back they will begin to bush out and form a solid green hedge … very soon there will be no space between them. Look at the photo @Uff posted earlier.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Nope - forget veg, or anything else, in between them. You can probably put some ground cover in at the front of them, if you're keeping them cut back sufficiently on the face, depending on how wet/dry the soil is, but that's about it.
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 saving me the effort. Would indeed have been so disappointing. One other thought - previously the laurels have had a canker issue - which surprisingly went away - with people saying it would not - haha.
When I cut the brown stems - should I apply some paint or some covering to protect the plant from a re-emergence of canker?
No need … in fact sealing pruning wounds etc is now believed to do more harm than good as bacteria and fungal spores etc can be trapped in the sealant.
It’ll be fine. Just use good clean and sharp secateurs/blades to make a clean cut without tearing. 😊
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
It sounds like your laurel has had a rough time! This guide from the RHS should help you to identify and treat any diseases: Laurel: leaf diseases / RHS Gardening
If your laurel is looking healthy now, the pruning advice given above should invigorate it. However, if there are still signs of disease, you should remedy these first as any hard pruning now will stress the plants and hinder recovery.
There is still a little bit of the mildew and the shot hole. But so much better than what I see in the summers. Are'nt both these diseases leaf related. So If I am removing the whole thing (top part at least) isn't it actually better?
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I had to move one a year or two ago. It was cut back to that size [from around five or six feet in both directions] dug up and replanted, and is now a couple of feet in both directions again. It isn't even in a very hospitable part of the garden - behind the shed and in among other trees.
I have another one in the front garden which I had to cut right back to a couple of feet last autumn, to access something else. It was about the same height, or bigger, and is beside two other mature shrubs - a holly and a mahonia. It'll be doing well by summer.
I don't have to water them or do anything else to them here. The climate does that for me.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
One related question. Since now there will be a lot more light hitting the ground, I want to plant some vegetables in the space between the laurels. Any recommendations. This area gets quite windy as it is situated in a wind tunnel - as I am next to the river. This is North side - but does not ever get much of direct sun as it is between two really tall buildings.
My laurels are prone to mildew, and sometime shot hole. Last year I tried cabbages - but were destroyed by the caterpillars. And the garden is also prone to loads and loads of snails and slugs - so peppers are also out. Zucchinis had done very wll previously in a different spot. The soil is very very well drained and really really deep - maybe 4 feet or so
Would like to avoid anything which requires a lot of water as I do not have a watering system and need to cover a relatively large area
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
You can probably put some ground cover in at the front of them, if you're keeping them cut back sufficiently on the face, depending on how wet/dry the soil is, but that's about it.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
If your laurel is looking healthy now, the pruning advice given above should invigorate it. However, if there are still signs of disease, you should remedy these first as any hard pruning now will stress the plants and hinder recovery.
There is still a little bit of the mildew and the shot hole. But so much better than what I see in the summers. Are'nt both these diseases leaf related. So If I am removing the whole thing (top part at least) isn't it actually better?