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100 Year old Hedge

Hello hope you could please help 

My usually healthy 100 year old privet hedge has developed a problem and I’m at a loss. my hedge has been very healthy up to now,

The year before last I cleared out the all the dead leaf matter from below and within the hedge and at that time offered a feed with bone meal and just before the growing season last year I gave a liberal feed with Miracle grow all propose plant feed. !!

The bald patches seem to be where the was remaining leaf matter in the hedge , when you snap the small twigs the is still signs life showing a white centre with a green edge under the bark

We have had a lot of rain recently and i would if that could be the problem !!! or is it over feedingimageimageimageimage

Any help would be most welcome 

KR

Stephen

Posts

  • Hi Stephen,

    I doubt if the rain or feeding have caused your problem. It looks to me from the first photo that you had recently trimmed the hedge - is it possible that you cut into previous season's growth? From personal experience, cutting back beyond the previous year's growth will set the privet back a little, but privet is as tough as old boots and will soon recover. 

    You also have a lot of leaf spot which may be an indication of stress. You could try applying Maxicrop Plant Growth Stimulant. I have never used this myself but its regularly mentioned on the local radio station gardening programme. Apparently it can be applied directly to the foliage and bark and encourages dormant leaf buds to break, but I'd wait until spring.

    I hope this helps. Good luck!

    Mark

  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,445

    It's hard on a plant to be cut back hard for a hundred years

    All the new, lively growth is removed, leaving the worsn out parts

    The newest leaves are the ones that do the most photosynthesis, nothing goes on for ever.



    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • Many thanks for your comments and advice  Mark and Nutcutlet and over the years yes perhaps Im guilty of over being  zealous with the trimming . my initial thoughts took me up the fungal route or drenched route ... Feed and care is the way forwards 

    thanks again Ste 

  • You're very welcome Stephen!

    And don't beat yourself up on being over zealous with the trimming. The problem with hedges is that they grow wider and wider and forever taller so on occasion you have to trim back hard!

  • Mark152 says:

    You're very welcome Stephen!

    And don't beat yourself up on being over zealous with the trimming. The problem with hedges is that they grow wider and wider and forever taller so on occasion you have to trim back hard!

    See original post

     Thank again Mark exactly that over the last 25 years for mysel and 35 years for my farther we have trimmed this beautfull  plant and seasonally later than usuall took bold step into the unknown and bach hard .. It now great to know that this was not a drastic error of judgemeant. 

    Kr Stephen 

  • Its beautifully trimmed and such a lovely shape Stephen! I can tell you take great pride in it. :)

  • Thanks Mike for the advice and piece of mInd and chemical heads up, it helps a lot 

    KR Stephen image

    Last edited: 11 December 2017 07:02:41

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