Yeah, and they're not in the easiest position to water, being at the far end of the front garden, though through the hottest days I did make sure to go out in the evenings and give them each a good 30 seconds drench of water each day. They seem happy, not yellowing or dropping leaves, just not growing much either. Perhaps a little prune would encourage some growth. They did sprout a little growth, just not growing by feet, but it was their first year so that's probably to be expected. It's such a large area out the front that it would be hard to keep it all watered in the summer heat. The grass seems to have bounced back OK now it has cooled down though.
Annoyingly the plentiful weeds in the front garden weren't bothered by the heat, and as quickly as I pull them out more seem to grow... any tips for mass weeds in the lawn?!
Just reading that other thread and Lyn mentions "pinching the tops out"... what does that mean? Chopping the tops off of each stalk, or literally pinching out part of the end? (Apologies for my naivety here...!)
No need to apologise - pinching the tops out just means taking the main stem [the top] off back to the next leaf joint, as you've guessed. That encourages growth sideways and helps to thicken it all up Again - if you're able to do a close up of one of your plants, we can show roughly where to cut. I'm not really a lawn expert, but if you're mowing little and often through the main season, that helps to keep most weeds at bay. Scalping the grass allows weeds to thrive at the expense of the grass, so avoid that, especially in long dry spells if you have them. You can use one of the proprietary weed and feed products in spring if you want - follow the info correctly though. Every year we get folk saying - 'my lawn's turned black - help!', and it's usually because they've over applied or done it in dry conditions. If you do that - maybe a few times, you'll find that it becomes easier. I don't use it at all now, and my grass was mainly dandelions and buttercups when I moved in. I spot weed anything that really offends me, but that's also very rare. As long as it looks green I'm happy. It really depends on how much time and effort you feel it's worth. It can become a horrible chore quite easily, if you let it. Lawns have become another hot topic recently - many folk feel that they're the Devil's work and no one should have them, which is a shame. I'm not in that camp, but they're pretty easy here because we don't have droughts, so they stay green. In those very dry parts of the country it's worth considering an alternative, but if you have a very large plot, that often isn't feasible.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Yeah a lot of people in our estate have had fake grass put down, but it's awful stuff, so I'm sticking to a proper lawn. Climate change is bad enough without everyone ripping up their nice lawns and laying down sheets of plastic instead. I'd rather plant more green than rip it all out.
I'll definitely grab some photos of everything this weekend and ask for some advice on where to chop it all.
One of the tall Laurels out the back seemed to have split in transit, with one large branch breaking off at the base, but it had some roots on it, so I shoved it back in with the rest of the plant in the hope that it would survive. It seems to be wilting though, so I guess it won't, but now I'm wondering if cutting it right down small and planting it elsewhere might save it. I guess having a few small roots will make it almost impossible to keep a large branch going, but if cut back majorly then maybe it will survive?
@russell_jefferiesSoh53k_P Every time you cut a piece of Laurel it shoots in two places on that same stem. That is how you get a plant that grows thick and dense right from the base. Smaller plants are more desirable and soon catch up.
I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
If it has some roots, it's worth trying, but it would probably be better in a pot to give it a chance. Just stick it somewhere you can keep an eye on it, so that it doesn't dry out. Is the main plant ok? It's worth notifying the seller. You might get a replacement.
I know what you mean about the plastic grass too. Fortunately, not many folk have it here, but in a small garden [which many folk have] it seems to be more popular. The sad thing is that I've seen many of them looking utterly hideous because they're full of weeds that have seeded in, and I've seen one which was almost completely moss, so what was the point of that. I don't think people realise that it isn't a maintenance free solution. What has really annoyed me recently is that a football/sports pitch next to the school has had their plastic replaced - by more plastic grass. It can't have been in there more than ten or fifteen years. Another nearby sports area [in the little park at the other side of the school] which was a traditional red blaes running track, has all been converted too. Very depressing. They've been there for months doing it. I shudder to think of the cost - money that could surely be better spent
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Yeah, it's pretty sad. I just want to get as many plants in as possible to help clean the air and provide some privacy. Also looking to get house plants at the moment as well.
I think you're probably right about putting it in a pot. I could also speak tot he garden centre about the broken one. not sure if it will make much difference. I guess they might give me a smaller Laurel if I ask, and it sounds like that might be better than getting another large one.
6. For screening, it's the angle between you and them that is important. Usually a small plant planted closer will give a better screening.
Now I have seen your pics, I have repeated this advice. Line up your neighbours' upper windows with what you want to keep private and grow something at that height. The nearer to you the shorter it needs to be. It could be a standard tree in a pot, which you move about.
For your interest, "pinching-out" is more usually the phrase used for removing the tip of an herbaceous plant with your finger and thumb nails. For a woody plant, like a laurel, I would use the phrase: "cut-off". The objective is the same.
location: Surrey Hills, England, ex-woodland acidic sand. "Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
OK, so I'm not sure what photos are going to show up here or how large they're going to come out, but it looks like a few have worked at least. I might have to resize and add further pics in another post. It looks like at least 3 have worked. The below one showing a wilting section in the middle of one of the taller Laurels, and the way the Laurel seems to have flopped outward since planting it (probably from all the wind).This one shows the line of 4 Laurels in the rear garden. I appreciate they're probably too close to the fence, but putting them forward would have them growing too much into the garden. Hopefully it'll work where they are. You can also see how the ones in the middle appear to have blown over in the winds, though I just went out to take these photos and stand one upright a bit more and the branches actually seem to curve in that direction anyway. This pic was just to show the row end-on. The hope is that once they grow and fill out they will be taller than the fence and cover around the corner slightly.
Posts
Annoyingly the plentiful weeds in the front garden weren't bothered by the heat, and as quickly as I pull them out more seem to grow... any tips for mass weeds in the lawn?!
Again - if you're able to do a close up of one of your plants, we can show roughly where to cut.
I'm not really a lawn expert, but if you're mowing little and often through the main season, that helps to keep most weeds at bay. Scalping the grass allows weeds to thrive at the expense of the grass, so avoid that, especially in long dry spells if you have them. You can use one of the proprietary weed and feed products in spring if you want - follow the info correctly though. Every year we get folk saying - 'my lawn's turned black - help!', and it's usually because they've over applied or done it in dry conditions. If you do that - maybe a few times, you'll find that it becomes easier. I don't use it at all now, and my grass was mainly dandelions and buttercups when I moved in. I spot weed anything that really offends me, but that's also very rare. As long as it looks green I'm happy.
It really depends on how much time and effort you feel it's worth. It can become a horrible chore quite easily, if you let it.
Lawns have become another hot topic recently - many folk feel that they're the Devil's work and no one should have them, which is a shame. I'm not in that camp, but they're pretty easy here because we don't have droughts, so they stay green. In those very dry parts of the country it's worth considering an alternative, but if you have a very large plot, that often isn't feasible.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I'll definitely grab some photos of everything this weekend and ask for some advice on where to chop it all.
One of the tall Laurels out the back seemed to have split in transit, with one large branch breaking off at the base, but it had some roots on it, so I shoved it back in with the rest of the plant in the hope that it would survive. It seems to be wilting though, so I guess it won't, but now I'm wondering if cutting it right down small and planting it elsewhere might save it. I guess having a few small roots will make it almost impossible to keep a large branch going, but if cut back majorly then maybe it will survive?
That is how you get a plant that grows thick and dense right from the base. Smaller plants are more desirable and soon catch up.
Is the main plant ok? It's worth notifying the seller. You might get a replacement.
I know what you mean about the plastic grass too. Fortunately, not many folk have it here, but in a small garden [which many folk have] it seems to be more popular. The sad thing is that I've seen many of them looking utterly hideous because they're full of weeds that have seeded in, and I've seen one which was almost completely moss, so what was the point of that. I don't think people realise that it isn't a maintenance free solution. What has really annoyed me recently is that a football/sports pitch next to the school has had their plastic replaced - by more plastic grass. It can't have been in there more than ten or fifteen years. Another nearby sports area [in the little park at the other side of the school] which was a traditional red blaes running track, has all been converted too. Very depressing. They've been there for months doing it. I shudder to think of the cost - money that could surely be better spent
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I think you're probably right about putting it in a pot. I could also speak tot he garden centre about the broken one. not sure if it will make much difference. I guess they might give me a smaller Laurel if I ask, and it sounds like that might be better than getting another large one.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
For your interest, "pinching-out" is more usually the phrase used for removing the tip of an herbaceous plant with your finger and thumb nails. For a woody plant, like a laurel, I would use the phrase: "cut-off". The objective is the same.
"Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
This pic was just to show the row end-on. The hope is that once they grow and fill out they will be taller than the fence and cover around the corner slightly.