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Laurel hedge
Robert193
Posts: 2
Hi,
planted some hedges about a month ago. They seem to be thriving but one seems to be growing abit weird. Doesn't seem to be sprouting leaves or branches near the bottom like the others - see pics
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There is only one pic there Robert but I would just nip out the growing point on the two spindly branches and this will make the Laurel buds lower down the stems grow - making it bushy.
I'm not sure i understand?
growing point? Nip out?
sorry - total newbie to gardening.
Thanks philippa
Definitely needed a 'fix' -
I'm not sure I'd recommend pinching it out until you've said how high you want the hedge. Personally I'd let it get closer to that height before doing so, it'll get bushy in no time. It'll also throw out suckers all over the place so be aware of them.
First thing I'd do is remove all that grass and create a proper border with an edge for the hedge. Your plants are competing for water and nutrients with the grass. Keep a distinct space between them.
Then follow philippa and Ladybird's advice - cut it back. Water well and mulch to prevent water loss and weed growth. There's a hedge near me which was planted years ago to create privacy for selling the house. It still looks dreadful because they bought big plants, and didn't cut them back - understandably when you've paid a fortune for five foot specimens. They've never thickened up, and look no better than the day they were planted.
Laurel doesn't produce suckers Bob - not in my experience anyway.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I'd cut it back, more than a pinch out. One spindly stem reaching the required height is not a hedge.
cut it back to just above a leaf, all branches, til it no longer has any use for a cane support. When it's grown more stems, with several leaves, pinch those out as well
In the sticks near Peterborough
re suckering, low branches will root down, maybe look like suckers.
In the sticks near Peterborough
These are mine planted on clay rock hard stone I did nothing other than put a cheap membrane down 30 metre by 1 metre doubled over and mulched with cedar bark. I'm not a gardener but using the postbox for reference in the pictures taken July 2012 and 2016. It seems along time but had I prepared the ground better they would probably have looked like this 12 months ago. The insects love them. I would avoid pesticides as they don't discriminate and had two bubble bee hives until I tried some on the tips off a couple due too caterpillars,thats an assumption as all the other insects seem happy enough they produce a sap directly from the bark.
Be aware of the cyanide (sweet almond smell) when you come to prune (which is unlikely to cause too much of an issue in the open air). If you're taking the cuttings to the green recycling, don't shred or chop the leaves first and always drive to the green recycle with the car windows fully open. Think I'm joking?