Dear All,
About 2 months ago we had our driveway done and along one low (3ft) side wall we had a cherry laurel hedge planted. In fact it was the week of that very hot weather! I told the contractor that I didn't want the border that it would be planted in too wide (the smallest we could get away with for the hedge to be a success). So the border is about 30-40cm wide and he said he dug down to 50cm and filled with "good quality soil". We had a number of 2-3ft pot grown laurel hedges planted about 20-30cm apart.

I suppose my question is: how should I be looking after this hedge until it is well established?

My aim is to have a dense 5ft screening hedge. Shortly after it was planted we had a lot of rain so I didn't water it myself at all for a few weeks and it seemed quite happy basically just sitting there not doing much but looking ok. Then I noticed that some of them were severely wilting so I thought they were dying. So I got the hose out and gave it I thorough soaking - and miraculously the next morning it had perked up amazingly well! Then we had a few weeks of dry weather so I made a point of giving the soil a thorough soaking every 3 days or so and they didn't seem to object!

Since then we've had pretty continuous wet weather so I've not really watered them myself. Some of them are now looking a bit thin pale and yellowy and I'm wondering why? Have they had too much water because its been SO rainy or are they not getting enough because I've stopped watering them myself?!

Should I feed them? I've heard that nows the time that the roots really get growing ie over autumn/winter so that they are all set to put on loads of new leafy growth next season?! Is that true? Do I need to mix in some bonemeal or something?!

Sorry for the long post and thanks for your advice!

Matt