[matjay]

HI

My name is Jason, I am new to this forum and would like to introduce myself to you all.

Now, recently I had a Laurel hedge planted in my front garden. Some areas of the hedge are doing quite well. However there are some areas of the hedge that is not doing so well !! One example is that on some of the plants several leaves are turning yellow and dying off and the tips of the new leaves sprouting are crispy brown.

Now I'm no green fingers so I wish to know if I am doing anything wrong. I have been watering the plants once every 2 days, using a standard watering can. I wonder am I over/under watering them ?? I have also heard that there is a thing called transfer shock (would this be what is happening ??)

How often should I be watering or am I even watering them enough. I am afraid to water too much, because I have read that the roots can get soggy and they don't like that. I have also mixed in some peat moss around the base to retain moisture, is this OK to do.

One more question, what would be the ideal fertilizer to use on the hedge, I have been told to use tomato feed to which I have twice but have ceased that now as I am also afraid that this might also be harming the hedge.

Any help for you guys would be great :O)

(Hedge has been in ground for last 2 months and plants range from 2 - 3 feet and arrived in pots)

[Sive]

Did you prepare the ground well before planting ? I once had to lift a laurel hedge because it wasn't thriving, and realised the ground was very compacted and the roots had nowhere to go. Once I improved the ground, it flourished.
Check the soil and see if it actually needs all the watering you are giving it.
By the way, laurel leaves naturally turn yellow and fall, but earlier in the year, I think, when new growth is starting.

[matjay]

I had a person in to plant it for me, a trench was dug out for all plants and compost added when planting. The soil in itself was pretty bad. I was told it would take sometime to establish, but what is happening is quite the norm due to transfer. I will just have to keep an eye on it for the next few weeks.

I was also told to give it a good watering once a week instead of once every 2 days and feed it once a month.

Just need to know that I am doing everything correctly as I spend a couple of hundred € on this and don't want them going belly up on me.

It is growing well in places at the top, but some places are lagging behind. I'm probably just being impatient as I planted to screen the front of the house (privacy)

Thanks for the info, I will test a section to see if indeed the roots are being obstructed.

[gardenman]

Laurels are pretty hardy plants and its no wonder that there are so many of them in Ireland, however, they have one vice!!
Wet and heavy soil - apart form weedkiller, it is pretty much the only thing that will kill them in a garden. Yellowing leaves are very typical of this.
If the soil is a heavy clay soil retaining a lot of moisture, they could do very badly.
Where they are struggling is the soil slightly more wet, retaining water?
IN this situation the best thing to do is replant, add in good quality soil and provide drainage, otherwise a different hedge might be needed. Don't worry though you might get away with doing this in only the worst areas.

[matjay]

Just an update on this, I dug a hole beside one of the plants that was not doing so well and the roots were quite dry !!!!!!!! This is telling me that the soil is not retaining moisture ??? am I correct in thinking so. I turned the soil on each length of hedging and mixed in so more moss peat and than gave it a good watering. I watered until it started to pool, it than soaked in nicely. I am now watering with a hose (finally purchased one) I just need to know how much water should I use, I have read on other sites that an establishing hedge needs copious amounts of water. I don't want to kill my poor hedge I want it to flourish!!!!!!!! All of your comments are appreciated,

Thanks

[matjay]

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[matjay]

Sorry i mistakenly sent a load of A's

[James Kilkelly]

[matjay]

Thanks James, I will keep this in mind now when I am watering, I now have a rule to work too

[The Garden Shop]

[matjay]

I might just look into one of them, thanks for the input

[michael brenock]

to day I saw a perfectly good Escallonia macrantha (i think) growing in isolation in a car park, no disease on leaves and in flower. Is this an isolated specimen or a naturally occurring resistant strain. I will be keeping an eye on it as it may be valuable for cuttings. Anybody noticed any good Escallonias in their arreas?
michael brenock horticultural advisor (retired)

[kindredspirit]