Yes Mike, I heard something similar: a bird should be able to fly through the middle.
Liverpool. However, I suspect (somene who knows would be useful) that now is not the time. As I say, I can do the basics but not tried summer pruning yet, although I shall be having a go at an espalier next week. You probably won't want me to experiment on yours!
I doubt if you can go wrong if you start by cutting out dead and diseased branches first; I daresay that can be done now. Then do the crossing ones that clutter up the middle.
I'll start with the 'dead' stuff then, there doesn't seem to be any apples on those bits anyway and the apples are still growing well on the healthy bits. I can't wait for next spring now to see if it's going to be ok....not happy at the moment with it
Thanks for the comments guys. The hedge whips are only 2 or 3 years old and bought bare root and planted last autumn (November). We dug a trench, put in commercially bought 'black gold' well rotted compost, soil and then mulched with charcoal from a bonfire we had to put out early. I watered through the winter and to date have only lost 1 whip out of 200!! The hedge is a mix of Blackthorn, Hawthorn, Field Maple, Wild Cherry, Dog Rose and Hazel.
Two weeks ago I watered and then remulched with the' black gold' in preparation for a (hopefully) dry summer. Someone suggested I may have given the hedge too many nutrients, but the torrential rain we have had recently may have mitigated that slightly if that is the case.
This is the only whip affected at present and there is a young wild plum close to the boundary nearby which made me wonder if that was affecting it. Obviously I need to get on top of this before it spreads. I am thinking of digging it up, replacing with another (I have some spares to fill any gaps) and cutting out the problem, potting it up and watching what happens. I can also watch the progress of the newly planted one for a repeat which would tell me its the position not the plant.
It looks more like an infestation than a disease. have you poked around to see if there are aphids or other visitors. That curled look is very familiar to me
My feeling is not to worry. If you have native hedging you have native insects which support all the other native insects and birds and so on up the food chain
There is a similar thing going on with the young fruit tree branching over the top and one or two other whips are showing weird growth - like a hawthorn whip which is throwing out lots and lots of leaves out of its stem - but no branches.
The problem seems only to be affecting the young tender growth so my feeling is that it is likely to be aphid damage - they may well have been picked off by the birds and ladybirds by now, but the damage has been done.
However, I'm sure the whips will survive and put on new growth
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Sorry for the delayed feedback - busy, busy. The hedge is fine, more recent growth is normal - I think the advice that it was aphid damage was spot on thank you. I have made a couple of lacewing chambers to hang in nearby trees to encourage aphid predators.
Posts
Yes Mike, I heard something similar: a bird should be able to fly through the middle.
Liverpool. However, I suspect (somene who knows would be useful) that now is not the time. As I say, I can do the basics but not tried summer pruning yet, although I shall be having a go at an espalier next week. You probably won't want me to experiment on yours!
I doubt if you can go wrong if you start by cutting out dead and diseased branches first; I daresay that can be done now. Then do the crossing ones that clutter up the middle.
I'll start with the 'dead' stuff then, there doesn't seem to be any apples on those bits anyway and the apples are still growing well on the healthy bits. I can't wait for next spring now to see if it's going to be ok....not happy at the moment with it
Thanks for the comments guys. The hedge whips are only 2 or 3 years old and bought bare root and planted last autumn (November). We dug a trench, put in commercially bought 'black gold' well rotted compost, soil and then mulched with charcoal from a bonfire we had to put out early. I watered through the winter and to date have only lost 1 whip out of 200!! The hedge is a mix of Blackthorn, Hawthorn, Field Maple, Wild Cherry, Dog Rose and Hazel.
Two weeks ago I watered and then remulched with the' black gold' in preparation for a (hopefully) dry summer. Someone suggested I may have given the hedge too many nutrients, but the torrential rain we have had recently may have mitigated that slightly if that is the case.
This is the only whip affected at present and there is a young wild plum close to the boundary nearby which made me wonder if that was affecting it. Obviously I need to get on top of this before it spreads. I am thinking of digging it up, replacing with another (I have some spares to fill any gaps) and cutting out the problem, potting it up and watching what happens. I can also watch the progress of the newly planted one for a repeat which would tell me its the position not the plant.
Something's blurred. Is it my eyes or that photo
It looks more like an infestation than a disease. have you poked around to see if there are aphids or other visitors. That curled look is very familiar to me
My feeling is not to worry. If you have native hedging you have native insects which support all the other native insects and birds and so on up the food chain
In the sticks near Peterborough
Thanks Steve no aphids on any of the leaves so I will keep an eye on them for now.
???
There is a similar thing going on with the young fruit tree branching over the top and one or two other whips are showing weird growth - like a hawthorn whip which is throwing out lots and lots of leaves out of its stem - but no branches.
Hopefully clearer photo attached
The problem seems only to be affecting the young tender growth so my feeling is that it is likely to be aphid damage - they may well have been picked off by the birds and ladybirds by now, but the damage has been done.
However, I'm sure the whips will survive and put on new growth
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Threads get a bit muddled when a thread gets hijacked. Anniegirl said she had no aphids. Highley, have you checked for insect infestation
In the sticks near Peterborough
Appreciate the help, perhaps my image of the tree may be useful?
(If my effort works that is!)
Sorry for the delayed feedback - busy, busy. The hedge is fine, more recent growth is normal - I think the advice that it was aphid damage was spot on thank you. I have made a couple of lacewing chambers to hang in nearby trees to encourage aphid predators.