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What's happening to my hedge? :-(
gedwilmot
Posts: 2
Hi everyone 
I have a privet hedge at the front of my house, grown myself. Last year, lots of the leaves began getting brown spots and then in winter, the vast majority of the leaves fell off.
This season, the leaves grew back fine - no brown spots. But over the last couple of weeks, I have noticed that the hedge leaves are dying at the top. The leaves on the side are still all fine.
I have no idea what this is or how to cure it. Can anyone help?
Last edited: 08 May 2017 10:28:06
0
Posts
Looks like a recent touch of frost. It will recover if so.
Fantastic hedge ... jolly well done
I agree with Redwing
Although privet is tough as old boots, the new leaves can be tender and susceptible to the very cold air we had coming from the north-east some days ago. Your privet will recover and be fine.
Just a thought, if you want your hedge to have leaves at the bottom, rather than the 'bare ankles' seen on so many privet hedges as they get older, try trimming it to a slight 'A' shape (called a 'batter') which will ensure that the bottom of the hedge gets more light which stimulates the shoots.
https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=353
Hope that helps
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Thanks for your quick replies - that is a HUGE relief - thank you!
Should I be concerned about the spots on all the leaves last season? Do I need to treat the privet with anything, or should it be OK this year?
Regarding trimming to an 'A' shape, I had considered this, but it seems to be growing down to the bottom OK
That is a very smart hedge indeed ... not a bare ankle to be seen
Privet is sort of semi-deciduous and every so often it decides to shed and replace a lot of leaves ... I suspect that the black spots appeared because the leaves were getting old and about to drop.
If you've not fed the hedge already this spring, I'd give it a sprinkling of Blood, Fish & Bone but other than generally keeping the base clear of weeds etc I think it'll be fine just left to get on with life
Of course, if we get a dry summer after the dry winter and spring that we've had, a few good soakings won't go amiss.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.