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leggy hawthorne hedge

hiacedrifterhiacedrifter Posts: 119
in Plants
I planted a few hawthorn bare root hedge plants in Feb 2022. I pruned them back when first planted as per instructions, but they have now shot up and gone very leggy. Should I prune them now or wait until the winter?

[img]https://i.imgur.com/bPmaeKk.jpg[/img]

Posts

  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    If there are no birds nests, you could do it now. 
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • hiacedrifterhiacedrifter Posts: 119
    Lyn said:
    If there are no birds nests, you could do it now. 

    Haha, they're about only 3 foot tall, and very sparse at the moment. I will give them a prune!
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    They must have been very small when planted if they're 3 feet, but have only just shot up  :)

    Hawthorn is used to being cut regularly, as it grows pretty quickly, but I've just looked at the photo. If you remove all the weeds around them, cut a proper edge between it and the grass/lawn [?]  and then tidy the hedge up a little bit, it'll let you see how to proceed.
    It's all just competition for the hedge, and you also risk damaging the hedge itself when you're cutting the grass, especially if you use a strimmer for edging.
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • hiacedrifterhiacedrifter Posts: 119
    Fairygirl said:
    They must have been very small when planted if they're 3 feet, but have only just shot up  :)

    Hawthorn is used to being cut regularly, as it grows pretty quickly, but I've just looked at the photo. If you remove all the weeds around them, cut a proper edge between it and the grass/lawn [?]  and then tidy the hedge up a little bit, it'll let you see how to proceed.
    It's all just competition for the hedge, and you also risk damaging the hedge itself when you're cutting the grass, especially if you use a strimmer for edging.
    Yes it does look very messy! It's actually in an area where there is no lawn or borders yet ... but grass has self seeded and gone crazy. It's farthest from the house so has been a bit neglected. I will sort it out today :)
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    I didn’t look at the photos either,  we had a hedge planted like that,  very small whips, only about 18” tall,  we just kept cutting the back and now they’re thick right from the bottom,  I would cut yours back by half of what they are now,  or even a bit more if you have the courage. 
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • bédébédé Posts: 3,095
    I would just let them grow as fast as they want, to the maximum height that you want.  You could let them grow much taller and then pleach.  That's the traditional way with hawthorn.  
     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."
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    It’s a hedge against a panelled  garden fence @bédé … not around a field margin. Your advice isn’t suitable for the OP’s situation. 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • bédébédé Posts: 3,095
    adove: you obviously got imgur to work, I didn't.  You had knowledge I didn't have.

    I'm sure I could have got it to work, but time is precious.
     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."
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    I didn’t ‘do’ anything @bédé , other than click on the link … then the picture appeared. 👍 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





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