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Leylandi has brown branches ?cause

katie.mackatie.mac Posts: 7
in Problem solving
Hello
I’ve planted over 100 leylandi in the last 3/4 years to make a hedge. This year, every single one has a few brown branches. 
They all seems to be on the lower half of them. Is a fungus? It’s not from pruning too close as half of the affected trees are only a year old and haven’t been pruned yet. The trees wrap around the whole garden and they have all been affected equally. Any advise would be gratefully received!
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  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    edited August 2023
    I think that’s the effect of drought … last year was exceptionally hot and dry, and the drought continued through the winter and well into the spring. 

    Although the soil surface may have appeared appeared damp, if this spring you had you dug down a foot or so to where tree roots are, you may well have found the soil to be dry and dusty … that was certainly the case across East Anglia and down on the south coast where friends live. 

    Also young trees and hedges need the soil around them to be kept clear of grass and weeds etc which compete for moisture and nutrients and prevent moisture penetrating the soil. 

    I would clear the area around your hedge and water well then mulch with composted bark or similar which will help the soil to retain moisture and make it easier for you to keep the area grass and weed free. 

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





  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    @katiemac That is alot of Leylandii. How far apart have you planted them? They could be competing for water and nutrients.
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
  • bcpathomebcpathome Posts: 1,313
    Bound to be ……and have you considered how they are affecting your next door neighbours garden ? They take all the water from wherever they can get it . Absolute thugs . 
  • katie.mackatie.mac Posts: 7
    Thanks for your replies. They have been planted too close together. Poor advice from the garden centre at the time. I haven’t weeded out around the bottom this year so there probably is a struggle for nutrients.
    We are in the country and don’t have any neighbours. We just wanted some privacy from a road so planted the leylandi. 
  • bédébédé Posts: 3,095
    Leylandii need more light than many hedging plants. A bit of die-back just ahppens.  Live with it , or tidy it away.
     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."
  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    edited August 2023
    @katie.mac I would just add that no one really knows how big they can get as they just keep growing. They will get to a size where they are impossible to control. At that stage you could face a huge bill for their removal, a problem especially if they are near to your property.I wouldn't buy a property with mature Leylandii and I am sure others would agree.
    I am sure you are aware of this but the advice fron the Garden Centre was very poor they seem to want to just off load plants. Perhaps avoid them in the future. You could also name and shame them here if you feel it is appropriate.

    To me it is reckless behaviour on their part not a thought for the environment as most Leylandii just get ripped out after a few years. A huge cost and misery for all who live near then due to lack of light and poor arrid soil in which nothing else will grow.
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
  • plant pauperplant pauper Posts: 6,904
    edited August 2023
    On the other hand some people (me) think long and hard about the decision to plant them and decide that they are the best option for their particular situation.
    Keep underneath weed free as this does make a huge difference.

    My mum has had a privacy hedge of Castlewellan Gold for over forty years. It is eight feet high, three feet thick and two haircuts a year keep it just fine. It also makes her corner site totally private and cuts the gale force wind whistling along her avenue.

    The little brown bits are nothing to worry about. Trim them off if they're ugly but be careful of leaving holes.
  • katie.mackatie.mac Posts: 7
    That’s exactly what we’re planning doing, 8/9ft high 3ft deep and make regular trims to keep it under control. It’s not harming anyone, there’s no neighbours, it’s no where near the house. I was just very concerned that it might have some fungal disease and I would end up losing the whole hedge. I’ll cut the brown parts out, weed down the bottom of them and be more mindful of watering them if we have a drought again. 
    I understand leylandi aren’t popular but thank you all for your advice. 
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    If they improve, and establish well, you'll have to start trimming very early on if you want to maintain them at that size.  They want to be very big in every direction, and if they get away from you, there's no going back.
    It's the big disadvantage of them, where other hedging plants are better behaved and easier to control   :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    edited August 2023
    @Katie-mac At eight metres wide, which it can achieve, it can only be classified as damaging. 
    Cutting back a hundred plants twice a year to maintain any form of control will involve a huge amount of work just like painting The Forth Bridge. Isn't life too short? Any other approach and it will take it's chance and get away.
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
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