I've never fed laurel - or any other hedge. Organic matter applied regularly is far more beneficial. Even with poorer soil, it's not really necessary to add feed. Tough, hardy shrubs and hedging will cope better if they're grown hard. Flowering plants are different
I wouldn't normally feed tough hardy hedging either but this hedge has suffered from powdery mildew, shot and canker, plus it is growing in a restricted raised bed. In view of past problems and to recover from the severe pruning planned, feeding and the addition of organic matter will help to invigorate your hedge and help it recover quickly.
We'll have to disagree on that one @Plantminded I wouldn't feed any plant that was struggling. I'd let it recover first, then add a little slow release food once it was actually showing those signs of recovery
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
OK @Fairygirl, let's agree to disagree on this one! I understood that the hedge was now showing signs of recovery and was fit to prune. RHS guidelines on hedge renovation are to feed and mulch after pruning to re-invigorate the hedge: Hedges: renovation / RHS Gardening
My Portuguese laurels suffered last year when I pruned them severely, did not feed or mulch or give extra water - they got powdery mildew and remained in a state of shock for nearly six months! They are just about showing signs of recovery now.
I should have known better because I have a sandy soil which does not retain nutrients well. From what I've gathered from your previous posts I think you have much better soil where you are and wouldn't need to feed a hedge after pruning.
These recent threads on feeding, mulch and manure have been very useful - my next project is to order some top quality compost containing manure and other organic matter as my soil is overdue a bit of a renovation!
a few issues I realised after chopping them off 1) Powdery Mildew and Shot-hole still exists Please see picture and suggest that indeed is shot-hole - and what should I do 2) One of the trees still has canker - and seems like has gone deep into the trunk. Should I cut it further to the ground to get rid of the Canker effected wood. Would it be too much of a cut (see picture in next post)
I'm finding this quite difficult to see clearly, but it looks like the soil level is really low. Is there a reason for that? Also - what's below the raised bed - is it open to the soil below? I'm wondering if they're really waterlogged, rather than the opposite. Footings from walls and fence posts etc, can cause a problem.
Growing laurel in a restricted space, is always going to be difficult unless you can give them suitable conditions, and yes @Plantminded - thinner, lighter soil isn't what suits them.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I think you are always going to be fighting a losing battle here @Deveshmittal.devesh with your plants showing ongoing signs of disease. I'd be inclined to remove them completely, refresh your soil by adding plenty of organic material and grit and plant up wth some young vigorous plants, possibly of an alternative species like Portuguese laurel if that is the look that you want. Would you agree @Fairygirl? Like you, I suspect there may be a problem with drainage in that raised bed too. Also @Deveshmittal.devesh how much sun does that bed get in summer?
I think the whole site needs looked at, and that's impossible for us when we're at the other end of a computer. I'm not sure what the answer really is, but it certainly doesn't look hospitable for those laurels. What else would thrive will depend on what's below ground. That's the key factor. Cherry laurel doesn't mind wet conditions -it loves loads of water from above, but even so, that's not the same as sitting in wet , sour soil. It won't put up with that long term.
A bit of investigation into the conditions below soil level is needed to get a good solution
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I had really great start to the laurels with new leaves and what a wonderful view it was. Unfortunately in the last few days all the new growth seems to have gone brown. And this is across all the 19 laurels I have. See picture below. What could be a factor if this
1) Under watering - I certainly think so 2) Too much sun from the last few days - and the plants are not used to it 3) Too much compost - I added some almost two weeks ago - but added with low water levels could have burned the leaves? Thanks for your advise as always
P.S: Under the site there is about 5 foot of soil and has a fantastic drainage. So no possible water logging
Posts
I wouldn't normally feed tough hardy hedging either but this hedge has suffered from powdery mildew, shot and canker, plus it is growing in a restricted raised bed. In view of past problems and to recover from the severe pruning planned, feeding and the addition of organic matter will help to invigorate your hedge and help it recover quickly.
I wouldn't feed any plant that was struggling. I'd let it recover first, then add a little slow release food once it was actually showing those signs of recovery
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
My Portuguese laurels suffered last year when I pruned them severely, did not feed or mulch or give extra water - they got powdery mildew and remained in a state of shock for nearly six months! They are just about showing signs of recovery now.
I should have known better because I have a sandy soil which does not retain nutrients well. From what I've gathered from your previous posts I think you have much better soil where you are and wouldn't need to feed a hedge after pruning.
These recent threads on feeding, mulch and manure have been very useful - my next project is to order some top quality compost containing manure and other organic matter as my soil is overdue a bit of a renovation!
Thank you for getting me thinking 😊!
a few issues I realised after chopping them off
1) Powdery Mildew and Shot-hole still exists
2) One of the trees still has canker - and seems like has gone deep into the trunk. Should I cut it further to the ground to get rid of the Canker effected wood. Would it be too much of a cut (see picture in next post)
shot-hole image
The canker infested one. The last image is original before I had cut it. First one with white line is where I think I should cut it from
Also - what's below the raised bed - is it open to the soil below?
I'm wondering if they're really waterlogged, rather than the opposite. Footings from walls and fence posts etc, can cause a problem.
Growing laurel in a restricted space, is always going to be difficult unless you can give them suitable conditions, and yes @Plantminded - thinner, lighter soil isn't what suits them.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I'm not sure what the answer really is, but it certainly doesn't look hospitable for those laurels. What else would thrive will depend on what's below ground. That's the key factor.
Cherry laurel doesn't mind wet conditions -it loves loads of water from above, but even so, that's not the same as sitting in wet , sour soil. It won't put up with that long term.
A bit of investigation into the conditions below soil level is needed to get a good solution
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
1) Under watering - I certainly think so
2) Too much sun from the last few days - and the plants are not used to it
3) Too much compost - I added some almost two weeks ago - but added with low water levels could have burned the leaves?
Thanks for your advise as always
P.S: Under the site there is about 5 foot of soil and has a fantastic drainage. So no possible water logging