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Cutting back rhododendron

kennedyaj911RNUSaHskennedyaj911RNUSaHs Posts: 1
in Problem solving
Hi, hoping someone can offer some advice on dealing with rhododendon. We bought a house not long ago which had a massively overgrown rhododendron front hedge. We have since halfed it in height and width back to something more manageable. The problem is with the halving in width is that we are left with stumps that continue to grow back. I've attached a photo which hopefully you can see, in the foreground you can see where the rhododendron is growing back from the stumps.

Can anyone offer any advice on how best to get rid of these stumps without killing the whole hedge? I know that rhododendron can be quite hard to get rid of and that some people treat with strong weedkiller, but I'm concerned I would kill the whole hedge if I did that. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance

Posts

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Yes - it will keep growing back.  :)
    However, you can then maintain it annually so that it doesn't get as big as it was before.
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • steephillsteephill Posts: 2,841
    You will need to dig out those stumps, I would recommend using a mattock or pickaxe. Start by digging a trench along the hedge so that you can expose the connections between the remaining hedge and the stumps you need to remove. Saw through these before digging out the stumps.
    You can be quite brutal as rhodos are tough plants and will survive a lot of abuse. I tried killing off a large clump by heavy pruning every year and setting a bonfire on top of the stumps and it still grew back! Digging it out was the only permanent solution.
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    They layer themselves, ie when a long heavy branch bends down and touches the ground, it will root - that's probably what you've got if they were originally planted in a single row. I agree you'll need to dig out the stumps that you don't want. As far as I recall they're not very deep-rooted.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    I think I slightly misunderstood your query @kennedyaj911RNUSaHs. I thought the hedge had just got a bit wider than you wanted. I can see the stump at the front now.

    They do layer, so if that's what's happened, then yes - you'll need to saw right back hard, and dig them out as the others have said, and be prepared to keep on top of them next year too, as there could be some which have yet to bid for world domination. 

    Some types are very persistent and can take hold quite readily if they're happy in their site. Slightly worrying that you had to do a Guy Fawkes job @steephill and it still didn't work!
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • bédébédé Posts: 3,095
    Let's be clear.  You want to keep the rhododendron hedge.  In which case you will have to cut back the unwanted growth every now and again.  Perhaps yearly.  Sides as well as the tops.
     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."
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