conifer hedge turning brown problem
 

Hi,

I have a hedge made up of 5 conifers. I think they are leyland cypress
types.The hedge is around 20ft tall. I also have a tree in close
proximity to the hedge, and up until 2 years ago this was covering a
portion of the hedge. The tree was pruned 2 years ago and the hedge
when exposed showed a small brown area. Over 2 years this area has died
off but shows a few green leaves. Not knowing anything about gardening,
my reasoning was that the tree covered the hedge leaves and caused
this.

In november 2006 the hedge was pruned to remove the new growth, shorty
after this I noticed that there are some other brown patches appearing
nowhere near the tree. They are randomly scattered and are in the
middle of the hedge height wise.

I do not think drainage is a problem as from what I read this shows as
a problem with browning from the bottom. I have checked for red spiders
too, and don't think that is the issue.

Around 1 year ago I covered the area around the based of the conifers
with cobbles to prevent cats using the soft soil as a toilet. Its not
totally covered but the cobbles run in a row underneath and along the
hedge. Someone recently told me they once covered the base of a conifer
with pebbles and it killed it? Is there any reasoning behind this?

Any ideas or other suggestions as to reason for the browning?

Thanks,

James

conifer hedge turning brown problem
 

wrote in message
ups.com...
Hi,

I have a hedge made up of 5 conifers. I think they are leyland cypress
types.The hedge is around 20ft tall. I also have a tree in close
proximity to the hedge, and up until 2 years ago this was covering a
portion of the hedge. The tree was pruned 2 years ago and the hedge
when exposed showed a small brown area. Over 2 years this area has died
off but shows a few green leaves. Not knowing anything about gardening,
my reasoning was that the tree covered the hedge leaves and caused
this.

In november 2006 the hedge was pruned to remove the new growth, shorty
after this I noticed that there are some other brown patches appearing
nowhere near the tree. They are randomly scattered and are in the
middle of the hedge height wise.

I do not think drainage is a problem as from what I read this shows as
a problem with browning from the bottom. I have checked for red spiders
too, and don't think that is the issue.

Around 1 year ago I covered the area around the based of the conifers
with cobbles to prevent cats using the soft soil as a toilet. Its not
totally covered but the cobbles run in a row underneath and along the
hedge. Someone recently told me they once covered the base of a conifer
with pebbles and it killed it? Is there any reasoning behind this?

Any ideas or other suggestions as to reason for the browning?

Whoa some useful info' - another way to kill Leylandi. Probably a load of
cobblers 'though.

conifer hedge turning brown problem
 

conifer hedge turning brown problem
 

K wrote:
writes
Hi,

I have a hedge made up of 5 conifers. I think they are leyland cypress
types.The hedge is around 20ft tall. I also have a tree in close
proximity to the hedge, and up until 2 years ago this was covering a
portion of the hedge. The tree was pruned 2 years ago and the hedge
when exposed showed a small brown area. Over 2 years this area has died
off but shows a few green leaves. Not knowing anything about gardening,
my reasoning was that the tree covered the hedge leaves and caused
this.

Yes, they'll die off where they're completely shaded by an adjacent tree
or wall

In november 2006 the hedge was pruned to remove the new growth, shorty
after this I noticed that there are some other brown patches appearing
nowhere near the tree. They are randomly scattered and are in the
middle of the hedge height wise.

If the pruning was severe enough to cut beyond the green growth here and
there, then that region of the tree is unlikely to sprout any new growth
and will remain brown.


Around 1 year ago I covered the area around the based of the conifers
with cobbles to prevent cats using the soft soil as a toilet. Its not
totally covered but the cobbles run in a row underneath and along the
hedge. Someone recently told me they once covered the base of a conifer
with pebbles and it killed it? Is there any reasoning behind this?

I would be surprised by that


--
Kay


Kay,

Thanks for the reply, it was probably the overcutting then. I actually
paid someone to do that too! Where the completely dead bit is, there is
one or too green leaves so maybe I will be lucky and some of it will
grow back or cover it.

Thanks,

James

conifer hedge turning brown problem
 

James wrote after K wrote: (SNIP)

If the pruning was severe enough to cut beyond the green growth here and
there, then that region of the tree is unlikely to sprout any new growth
and will remain brown.


Thanks for the reply, it was probably the overcutting then. I actually
paid someone to do that too! Where the completely dead bit is, there is
one or too green leaves so maybe I will be lucky and some of it will
grow back or cover it.


It's because you left it too long before getting someone to tidy it up, once
at the proper height for a hedge (say 2 metres) you must start pruning and
cutting, just nipping out tips to start with, especially with a conifer for
the reason Kay mentioned.
A Leylandii hedge is very high maintenance as they grow so fast, needs
cutting twice a year minimum to look any good and keep it within bounds as
they never stop growing, in fact nobody knows how big they will grow
eventually as every one ever planted is still growing bigger.
--
Regards
Bob H
17mls W. of London.UK

conifer hedge turning brown problem
 

On 14/1/07 11:27, in article , "Bob
Hobden" wrote:

snip
A Leylandii hedge is very high maintenance as they grow so fast, needs
cutting twice a year minimum to look any good and keep it within bounds as
they never stop growing, in fact nobody knows how big they will grow
eventually as every one ever planted is still growing bigger.

I didn't know that! I thought the claim for eventual height was 100' but
obviously that's a mere estimate.
We have someone living near here who had a beautifully maintained hedge,
kept just as you say. However, her husband has become seriously ill and his
care is costing enormous amounts of money and so others thing are having to
go by the board. We have noticed that this hedge is one of them and it's
now much too tall and very unkempt, with lots of brambles growing through
it. It's a great shame because, much as I dislike leylandii, I have to
admit that was kept well and did a terrific of job of providing a badly
needed windbreak in that particular spot. AND there are no neighbours to be
annoyed by it, thank goodness!
--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
http://www.discoverdartmoor.co.uk/

conifer hedge turning brown problem
 

Bob Hobden wrote:
James wrote after K wrote: (SNIP)

If the pruning was severe enough to cut beyond the green growth here and
there, then that region of the tree is unlikely to sprout any new growth
and will remain brown.


Thanks for the reply, it was probably the overcutting then. I actually
paid someone to do that too! Where the completely dead bit is, there is
one or too green leaves so maybe I will be lucky and some of it will
grow back or cover it.


It's because you left it too long before getting someone to tidy it up, once
at the proper height for a hedge (say 2 metres) you must start pruning and
cutting, just nipping out tips to start with, especially with a conifer for
the reason Kay mentioned.
A Leylandii hedge is very high maintenance as they grow so fast, needs
cutting twice a year minimum to look any good and keep it within bounds as
they never stop growing, in fact nobody knows how big they will grow
eventually as every one ever planted is still growing bigger.
--
Regards
Bob H
17mls W. of London.UK

I do have it cut twice a year, however when that is done its generally
'new growth' that is pruned. I don't really have a clue about gardening
at all, but the hedge if not pruned, it kind of 'bushes' out a bit at
the sides and top, I wouldn't think it would grow to these so called
epic proportions if not cut. Maybe my hedge is not the type that grows
like mad, but I have done some research using books into what type it
could be. All the books mention buds on the leaves, and this has none
at the moment (I am assuming these will come in spring). Based on the
leaf type only, it is one or a derivative of these:

- false cypress
- leyland cypress
- arbor-vitae (leaves match but all examples look like bushes not high
hedges)

What about fertilizer or some kind of soil feed, is there anything I
can do with regards to this to stimulate growth of the brown area?

James

conifer hedge turning brown problem
 

wrote in message
ups.com...

Bob Hobden wrote:
James wrote after K wrote: (SNIP)

If the pruning was severe enough to cut beyond the green growth here
and
there, then that region of the tree is unlikely to sprout any new
growth
and will remain brown.


Thanks for the reply, it was probably the overcutting then. I actually
paid someone to do that too! Where the completely dead bit is, there is
one or too green leaves so maybe I will be lucky and some of it will
grow back or cover it.


It's because you left it too long before getting someone to tidy it up,
once
at the proper height for a hedge (say 2 metres) you must start pruning
and
cutting, just nipping out tips to start with, especially with a conifer
for
the reason Kay mentioned.
A Leylandii hedge is very high maintenance as they grow so fast, needs
cutting twice a year minimum to look any good and keep it within bounds
as
they never stop growing, in fact nobody knows how big they will grow
eventually as every one ever planted is still growing bigger.
--
Regards
Bob H
17mls W. of London.UK

I do have it cut twice a year, however when that is done its generally
'new growth' that is pruned. I don't really have a clue about gardening
at all, but the hedge if not pruned, it kind of 'bushes' out a bit at
the sides and top, I wouldn't think it would grow to these so called
epic proportions if not cut. Maybe my hedge is not the type that grows
like mad, but I have done some research using books into what type it
could be. All the books mention buds on the leaves, and this has none
at the moment (I am assuming these will come in spring). Based on the
leaf type only, it is one or a derivative of these:

- false cypress
- leyland cypress
- arbor-vitae (leaves match but all examples look like bushes not high
hedges)

What about fertilizer or some kind of soil feed, is there anything I
can do with regards to this to stimulate growth of the brown area?

James


Could the hedge be Thuja-similar to Leylandii but with the important
difference that it can regenerate. ? Worth having a Goole.

conifer hedge turning brown problem
 

Rupert (W.Yorkshire) wrote:
It's because you left it too long before getting someone to tidy it up,
once
at the proper height for a hedge (say 2 metres) you must start pruning
and
cutting, just nipping out tips to start with, especially with a conifer
for
the reason Kay mentioned.
A Leylandii hedge is very high maintenance as they grow so fast, needs
cutting twice a year minimum to look any good and keep it within bounds
as
they never stop growing, in fact nobody knows how big they will grow
eventually as every one ever planted is still growing bigger.
--
Regards
Bob H
17mls W. of London.UK

I do have it cut twice a year, however when that is done its generally
'new growth' that is pruned. I don't really have a clue about gardening
at all, but the hedge if not pruned, it kind of 'bushes' out a bit at
the sides and top, I wouldn't think it would grow to these so called
epic proportions if not cut. Maybe my hedge is not the type that grows
like mad, but I have done some research using books into what type it
could be. All the books mention buds on the leaves, and this has none
at the moment (I am assuming these will come in spring). Based on the
leaf type only, it is one or a derivative of these:

- false cypress
- leyland cypress
- arbor-vitae (leaves match but all examples look like bushes not high
hedges)

What about fertilizer or some kind of soil feed, is there anything I
can do with regards to this to stimulate growth of the brown area?

James


Could the hedge be Thuja-similar to Leylandii but with the important
difference that it can regenerate. ? Worth having a Goole.

Thuja does regenerate also so does LLeyandii if an affected part is cut
off where is joins the trunk but often as you say LLeyandii does not
respond as other Thuja types

Hello, everyone.

I have had 360 large Thuja planted in March. They are each 5m+ So obviously had large rootballs.

They have brown patches now, I presumed these areas were just snapped twigs during transit that have finally died. But there seems to be brown tips on many of the trees.

They've had water over and above the plenty of rain over this period, and the soil is moist. There seems to be one tree so far that clearly hasn't made it, but I was expecting to loose a few.

At £40,000 spent, I'm panicking slightly!!

Thank you.