Thank you all for your advice. Mr E Busch, love the play on words!
The hedge grows fairly quickly, soft slightly shiny leaves, and it stays green most of the year (outskirts of London so fairly mild weather). As it's so overgrown I've been cutting back from the middle or bottom to try and thin it as it seems to congested and woody. I'm hoping this will stimulate new growth.
Should I feeder mulch after the big haircut or wait for spring?
If you can't post a photo perhaps you could upload some onto a photo-hosting site and post the link here. You really need to identify what sort of hedge it is.
Alternatively google privet images and see if you can ID it that way.
If it's privet and is getting straggly I would reduce it's height by at least one third now - Feed in the spring.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I'd say privet's the most likely, but Dove's suggestion is a great way of getting an ID if you can't do a pic. If it is, it's pretty indestructible, and hard pruning will actually benefit it.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Rosie - hopefully you can ignore the unhelpful dross... .... and can make a successful ID - with or without a pic. Then you can go from there with pruning/hacking and further maintenance.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Posts
If it's an old-fashioned hardwood hedge (hawthorn etc,) I can lay it for you
Welcome to the Forum Rosie; great name, btw!
I like to see what's happening though jo
and if necessary - to report any nonsense to the mods
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Fungal infections and bushes that need pruning - it's been one of those days
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Ah yes - the 'mystery bush' Dove...another t**t
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Thank you all for your advice. Mr E Busch, love the play on words!
The hedge grows fairly quickly, soft slightly shiny leaves, and it stays green most of the year (outskirts of London so fairly mild weather). As it's so overgrown I've been cutting back from the middle or bottom to try and thin it as it seems to congested and woody. I'm hoping this will stimulate new growth.
Should I feeder mulch after the big haircut or wait for spring?
If you can't post a photo perhaps you could upload some onto a photo-hosting site and post the link here. You really need to identify what sort of hedge it is.
Alternatively google privet images and see if you can ID it that way.
If it's privet and is getting straggly I would reduce it's height by at least one third now - Feed in the spring.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I'd say privet's the most likely, but Dove's suggestion is a great way of getting an ID if you can't do a pic. If it is, it's pretty indestructible, and hard pruning will actually benefit it.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Could it comprise yews? The way to tell is if it is in phlox.
Pregnant fish Jo? You've totally lost me!
Rosie - hopefully you can ignore the unhelpful dross...
.... and can make a successful ID - with or without a pic. Then you can go from there with pruning/hacking and further maintenance. 
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...