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Bulging/leaning privet hedge

mab567mab567 Posts: 2
in Problem solving
Moved house & have inherited a healthy mature privet hedge that contributes greatly to our privacy. However, it has a pronounced bulge about half way along (it’s indented on one side and bulging out on the other). This doesn’t appear to be caused by prevailing wind/ light issues. The hedge is about 6 ft tall and about 30 feet long and has a wall on either side. We can’t contemplate cutting it right back as we’d be totally exposed but it looks really weird … any suggestions?

Posts

  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    Privet will grow back from wherever you cut it, so cut back the bulge so that it's level with the rest or a little further if you find that you need to cut thick branches rather than just into the twiggy stuff. You might need loppers or a pruning saw if there are thick branches leaning over. That patch will be bare/twiggy for a while but new leaves will grow in time. And leave the corresponding indented part on the other side to grow out a bit so you can cut it level with the rest. Again it'll take a while to build up a firm twiggy structure in that area, but it'll get there eventually.
    It's possible that the affected section has been pushed out of alignment at some point by being pushed/leaned on from the outside.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • mab567mab567 Posts: 2
    Thanks thanks so much - really appreciate this advice :)
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