"Graeme Hinchliffe" wrote in message
...

Are there any tips people could give me that would help in getting this
hedge back into a thickley built tall hedge again. I have tried
allowing it grow and only trimming the sides of the hedge not the top,
but this has left the hedge looking a bit bedraggled and it doesn't seem
to have much density to it, and seems loose.

Should I be trimming off the majority of the top growth to encourge a
more dense growth and only allowing a couple of inches of new growth
with each trim?

Also how often should I trim the hedge? I have read that you should
have it slighly slopped on the sides so allow good light to the lower
branches and stop snow from damaging upper branches, but nothing on how
to get the hedge to become more densly packed and gain height.


Over the years your hedge has depleted the ground below it of much of its
nutrient value and ahe ground has no doubt become compacted, plus in active
growth the hedge needs loads of water.

now you want it to grow like a youngster in fres soil again!

If it were mine i'd:

1. Loosen the soil on both sides with a srtong garden fork.

2. work a good general shrub fertilizer into the loosened soil.

3. Mulch heavly with manure/mushroom compost every year

4. Install a leaky hose on a 1hr per day timer or give a really good soak
once a week.

pk