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New to garden care, how to care for this?

GardenNewbie2022GardenNewbie2022 Posts: 3
edited June 2022 in Plants
Hi all, I've been trying to understand what I need to do here.

I have spent time deweeding, I've sprinkled some fish, blood and bone around the plants and I plan to put compost over the soil and then wood chip bark on top. Is this the right idea? 

What should I use to care for the hedge? Can I put blood, fish and bone at the base of it and just heavily water it once a week? Maybe compost at the base too?


And in the autumn or winter I'll get the hedge tidied up.


Any help greatly appreciated, thanks 

Posts

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Conifers don't need fed once established and growing. They don't really need watered either once established, if they're growing well. That looks as if it's fine. Just be aware that when trimming, it's better to only take the new year's growth off, as most of them won't regrow from old wood.  :)

    You can certainly use bark as a mulch around your shrubs [and at the foot of the hedge for aesthetic purposes] to keep weeds down and retain moisture, but that's best done after there's been enough rain. If you're not in a wetter part of the country, that's better done in later winter to help with moisture retention.
    Regular applications of compost will improve the soil structure, but it isn't always necessary if the soil's already decent. It would also depend on the plants, but shrubs need very little care other than pruning, or removing any dead or damaged branches. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • AnniDAnniD Posts: 12,585
    It looks to me like Thuja plicata, which ironically is one of the very few conifers that will rejuvenate from old wood  :) if you crush the leaves you should get a strong smell, possibly described as pineapple. 

    As @Fairygirl says, no need to stress about feeding and watering, they are tough old things, and it looks well established.
    https://www.paramountplants.co.uk/blog/index.php/thuja-care/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI--OD0_Gk-AIVybHtCh07kQH6EAAYAyAAEgKLJ_D_BwE
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Indeed @AnniD- thuja is the only one that can be cut back hard.  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • That's been very useful thank you! I thought it was a leylandii

    So I just need to prune any brown or dead parts?

    There is a fairly dead part on the bottom on the left side (you can see it in the first photo), does all of that just need removing and it will regrow in a few years?

    And finally, is this meant to be thinner at the top? Should I get someone out (after nesting season) to do that? 
  • AnniDAnniD Posts: 12,585
    Any brown bits you can just snip out. The section that is brown you can cut that as far back as you need to. It will grow back but it will take time, so don't expect to see instant results  :)

    I'm not quite sure what you mean by thinner at the top, do you mean the overall hedge shape? What is termed a "batter" , where it's narrower at the top and wider at the bottom ?
    Have a look at this, the section on formal hedges. Any reputable hedge cutter person should be able to do this.
    https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/types/hedges/pruning-guide
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