They need to be in a proper border, and given water and a mulch afterwards. Laurel is very tough once established, but it's going to be very difficult to get that established in that situation. As @bcpathome says- all that grass is competition, plus - it'll be impossible to keep it cut in and around the laurel, without damaging the laurel itself.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
If you want to keep the grass you may as well get rid of the laurel and just mow over the lot.
If you want to keep the laurels you will need to get rid of the grass, that’s not just pulling it, you need to dig it out so all you have is bare soil, pulling will just encourage it to grow more. I don’t think there’s hope for the plant in the right.
Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor.
The choice is yours ,laurel hedge or grass and a fence .I’m afraid everyone is quite right the laurel needs space to establish. Once it has it will look very nice but it won’t grow like that .Sorry .
I have 70 Laurels planted along this edge and this is the only laurel not taking all the rest have new shots and growing so I think I will just replace.
How are you cutting the grass that's next to them? It's very easy to damage plants if you're trying to cut right up to them. You really need to remove all the turf both sides, and make a defined border edging -a good foot to 18 inches either side, and clear all that grass away from in between, in the same way that you'd make a decorative border for planting into. If they don't have a clear space, they'll take ages to thrive too. Even if/when all the laurels grow into a proper hedge, you'll still have grass in between them unless you get it out.
A good mulch will help keep weeds and grass away too, and will also benefit the soil, and therefore the laurels.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Posts
As @bcpathome says- all that grass is competition, plus - it'll be impossible to keep it cut in and around the laurel, without damaging the laurel itself.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
If you want to keep the laurels you will need to get rid of the grass, that’s not just pulling it, you need to dig it out so all you have is bare soil, pulling will just encourage it to grow more.
I don’t think there’s hope for the plant in the right.
I have 70 Laurels planted along this edge and this is the only laurel not taking all the rest have new shots and growing so I think I will just replace.
Thanks
https://forum.gardenersworld.com/discussion/656523/help-needed-please-with-laurel-hedge-issues#latest
settle down with a cuppa or three and have a good read
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Even if/when all the laurels grow into a proper hedge, you'll still have grass in between them unless you get it out.
A good mulch will help keep weeds and grass away too, and will also benefit the soil, and therefore the laurels.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
After a bit of TLC over last year to this with Chicken Manure pellets and slow release fertiliser this is the result:
coming on really well this year, thanks for all advice.