Portugese Laurel Help

x92k74bxb8y1WOpoIK · May 2023

My Portugese Laurel need help. They are well established and have been great up until end last year/this year…I probably didn’t do enough in last years hot weather?? I fed them a few weeks ago with bone feed but they seem to be getting worse, although lots of flowers coming?? Any help greatly appreciated

Ceres · May 2023

Hi and welcome to the forum.

Those laurels are looking a bit thin, aren't they. I know what I would do to any plant that had the temerity to look less than robust (hack it down by a few feet until it got its act together) but I am not an expert on portuguese laurels as I have only ever grown one and it had to go when it decided to grow sideways. I am hoping for your sake that someone with experience of these plants can come up with a solution for you.

Fairygirl · May 2023

It can be very dry next to walls, so unless you get loads of rain, regularly, it'll always be difficult to keep them looking good. I'd cut those back quite hard, and thoroughly water them - on a regular basis, especially over the next few months. If you're in a drier part of the country, it's always difficult to keep larger shrubs/trees/hedging healthy when they're bigger.
If the ground they're in is poor, that won't help. It's one of the problems with top dressing with something like gravel - you aren't able to add any organic material to help with moisture retention.
Don't keep feeding them - that's never a good idea. A general, slow release food is fine if they're thriving, but then again - a thriving hedge doesn't need it. Just that organic matter added. Bark is a better mulch than gravel, as it will also break down and help the soil structure.

Portugese Laurel Help

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