"Rusted" bushes, anything I can do?

daigo75 · Hazel Tree Joined: 23 Feb 2009 Posts: 39

Hi,
The house where I moved has a garden surrounded by a hedge, but the bushes are very "rusty" (words of the gardeners who was clipping it; also, see picture). Is there anything I could do to improve the health of these bushes? Thank you very much.

Liparis · Posted: Wed Feb 25, 2009 2:16 pm Post subject:

I can't quite see, is that dead foliage? if so, there could be numerous reasons, one being clipping to hard early/late season and getting frost damaged. Hard clipping after missing a season or two would cause similar. But there will be other reasons for it, virus etc.
Bill.

walltoall · Posted: Wed Feb 25, 2009 3:46 pm Post subject: That rusting hedge

It's hard to see clearly although it's a very good photograph. Is it possible you have two hedges for the price of one. Looks like you may have a combination of cypress (evergreen) and beech (deciduous (sheds and renews leaves annually)). The rusty stuff looks MIGHTY like last year's leaves from a beech. Any better ideas from younger eyes?

medieval knievel · Sessile Oak Tree Joined: 03 Sep 2007 Posts: 321

my eyes tell me that the brown foliage is dead foliage from the cypress.
i've adulterated the photo, should be easier to see.

Bobwilliams · Posted: Wed Feb 25, 2009 4:46 pm Post subject:

They look burnt by too hard cutting back last season. A good tree and shrub fertiliser should bring on enough green growth to cover over the brown areas.

James Kilkelly, was GPI. · Posted: Wed Feb 25, 2009 4:55 pm Post subject:

Whether Aphid attack or harsh cutting back caused it you will have to do something similar to that show in this video........ Solve Brown Patches On Leylandii Hedges, How-to Video

Liparis · Posted: Wed Feb 25, 2009 4:56 pm Post subject:

Can actually see it better and clearer in the reply box. Definately burnt-off foliage for whatever reason.
Bill.

walltoall · Posted: Wed Feb 25, 2009 5:10 pm Post subject: cypress hard pressed

Knieval you are the business at adulteration. I'm now voting with the crowd 'cause I can see it's cypress that took a hammering.

medieval knievel · Sessile Oak Tree Joined: 03 Sep 2007 Posts: 321

if you have firefox, you can right click on the original pic and select 'view image'; it's larger than displayed in the above box.

walltoall · Posted: Thu Feb 26, 2009 2:09 pm Post subject: man you are the business

Knieval
I use firefox and I've just learned something new today. This is a good day and suits my motto. Thanks a pile

Liparis · Posted: Thu Feb 26, 2009 8:24 pm Post subject:

Now I know why I used to prefer FireFox to Mr Gates. When I changed my PC a while back I was too lazy... Woops! I mean busy to download it again on my super-slow dial-up.
Back to FireFox again. They also have a real dandy of a plug-in translator as well which was reasonably good and efficient, which I used a lot.
Bill.

daigo75 · Hazel Tree Joined: 23 Feb 2009 Posts: 39

Thanks to everybody. I got some plant food specific for cypress and similar plants, I will try to help the plants by properly feeding them. As I wrote in my introduction post, previous tenant "had the hobby of gardening", but he had a very peculiar way of doing it, the garden is a disaster! The lawn has been replaced by moss (85% at least), soil is ultra-compact, dead plants everywhere and I had to manually remove a metric ton of rotten cut grass cumulated in years in a corner... Lot of hard work to do Smile

walltoall · Posted: Fri Feb 27, 2009 4:21 pm Post subject: Oh! God! Everybody's dream garden

What a nightmare? Or better still what an opportunity for deep ploughing to get the soil softened out. The moss'll vanish as soon as the soil can drain. That area where the grass was may be acid now so it might take ericatious plants. I don't envy you your coming labours (have the tee-shirt) but when you get the garden up and running it'll be a pride and joy. Good luck and don't forget to post the progress ongoing to this site so we can share your trials and tribulations?

daigo75 · Hazel Tree Joined: 23 Feb 2009 Posts: 39

Hi Walltoall,
the corner where the grass was is kind of "dead land". Besides, it was in the shadow of the shed, perfect for rotting... My girlfriend would like to put a rhododendron in that corner, but I'm afraid the soil would be quite bad... Believe it or not, in the rotting grass I found some growing potatoes! Two were bad (not moulded or rotten, kind of "old"), while one is perfect! Tiny, but potentially edible. I wonder if I can plant it... Very Happy

By the way, I need another suggestion: I don't have a scarifier, a tiller or any tool like that. What can I use to help the soil breath throughout the garden? Many many holes with a pitch fork and a lot of elbow grease? Thanks again.

Liparis · Posted: Fri Feb 27, 2009 10:11 pm Post subject:

you could buy a manual airiater. looks like a garden fork but with hollow tines, go around the lawn systematically step-pushing it deep into the lawn, the top of the tines are open so the soil plugs push each other out the top as you go. Tedious to do all at once so spread it out over a few days, but each time you do some, brush silver sand in the holes. Just scatter it across and work it into the holes with a stiff broom. Compost your plugs, seperate from your other compost, it breaks down and makes a nice loamy compost for seed sowing or potting.
Bill