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Can anything be done to save my hedge?

eastofthesuneastofthesun Posts: 4
in Problem solving
Hi everyone, I have a (formerly!) beautiful privet hedge at the end of my garden which has been slowly dying over the last couple of years. I would really love to be able to save what is left and then replace the dead section, but I'm concerned that whatever is killing it will just impact whatever I replace it with. I understand that honey fungus is a common privet disease so wondering if it's that (in which case as I understand it there is no hope of revival), although I'm not sure if the symptoms really tie up. I'm shamefully ignorant about plants so hoping some of the experts on here might be able to advise me?

I've attached a couple of pictures of the dead section

Thanks in advance

Posts

  • fidgetbonesfidgetbones Posts: 17,618
    Dig out the dead section. If you have the boot lace type roots indicative of honey fungus, then there is little hope.  Is that a dead tree trunk in front of it?  Did it die first before being cut down, or has it been poisoned with something after cutting down to stop it regrowing?
  • punkdocpunkdoc Posts: 15,039
    The pattern of the dieback does suggest disease, although as said, without digging it out, it will be hard to decide whether it is Honey fungus.
    How can you lie there and think of England
    When you don't even know who's in the team

    S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
  • eastofthesuneastofthesun Posts: 4
    Thanks for your replies - the thing in front of the hedge is a stone which is part of a water feature for a pond. I guess we just need to dig up some of the dead section and take a look at the roots. If it is honey fungus what would you recommend replacing it with? We’d be looking to buy more expensive mature plants as there is no other boundary with the neighbours once the hedge is gone, so don’t want to spend lots and then find whatever we put in instead also dies. Other half thinks we should just give up and put in a fence but I really want to avoid this if I can!
  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    @fidgetbones makes a good point. Do you know what happened to the tree in the foreground? There are alot of honey coloured fungi but not all are honey fungus.
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
  • eastofthesuneastofthesun Posts: 4
    Just to add- there was VERY heavy ivy all over the dead end of the hedge which we removed a few months ago in the hope it would help but if anything it’s got worse since then- could ivy do this to a hedge?
  • AnniDAnniD Posts: 12,585
    I thought that was a tree as well 😊.
    I would dig it out first and see what you find. Maybe post a couple of photos, and then see if honey fungus is confirmed or suspected. Then take it from there as regards any replacement. 
  • eastofthesuneastofthesun Posts: 4
    Yes it does look like a tree trunk when I look at the picture now too 🙂
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