I have a privet hedge in my garden which has been allowed by previous owner
to grow wild. It's leggy and woody (about 2" diameter in places) with no
leaves up to about 7 feet and then has unchecked leaf growth. It's basically
behaving like a group of trees.

What should I do with it? If I were to cut it back would it grow in again?
And if so, how close to the ground should I cut it? Or would I be better
getting shot of it and building a fence and if so what do I need to do?

I'd appreciate any suggestions and help. it's a mess as it is. Thanks in
advance.

xiv

"louisxiv" wrote in message
...
I have a privet hedge in my garden which has been allowed by previous owner
to grow wild. It's leggy and woody (about 2" diameter in places) with no
leaves up to about 7 feet and then has unchecked leaf growth. It's
basically behaving like a group of trees.

What should I do with it? If I were to cut it back would it grow in again?
And if so, how close to the ground should I cut it? Or would I be better
getting shot of it and building a fence and if so what do I need to do?

I'd appreciate any suggestions and help. it's a mess as it is. Thanks in
advance.


Be brutal. Cut it all off about 1ft lower than you want the height to be.
It'll be back. My next door neighbour last autumn cut a 10ft high privet
down to a 2" stump. It's now 3ft high.

Steve

In article ,
"shazzbat" writes:
|
| Be brutal. Cut it all off about 1ft lower than you want the height to be.
| It'll be back. My next door neighbour last autumn cut a 10ft high privet
| down to a 2" stump. It's now 3ft high.

From the description, the latter solution sounds more appropriate;
1' off is not enough for a badly neglected hedge, and cutting back
HARD is the solution (for privet!) Now is a good time, too.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

shazzbat writes

"louisxiv" wrote in message
...
I have a privet hedge in my garden which has been allowed by previous owner
to grow wild. It's leggy and woody (about 2" diameter in places) with no
leaves up to about 7 feet and then has unchecked leaf growth. It's
basically behaving like a group of trees.

What should I do with it? If I were to cut it back would it grow in again?
And if so, how close to the ground should I cut it? Or would I be better
getting shot of it and building a fence and if so what do I need to do?

I'd appreciate any suggestions and help. it's a mess as it is. Thanks in
advance.


Be brutal. Cut it all off about 1ft lower than you want the height to be.
It'll be back. My next door neighbour last autumn cut a 10ft high privet
down to a 2" stump. It's now 3ft high.

He'll need to take it back down to base. If he just takes it down to,
say, 3ft for a 4ft final hedge, he'll end up with a 3ft high bare bit
with a foot of hedge on top.

If any shrub is so bad that you'd prefer to be shot of it, you can't
lose - cutting back to 2inches gives a chance of a good regrowth, and
if it doesn't work, you're no worse off than you were when you thought
of replacing it (apart from it now being a year later).
--
Kay

"louisxiv" wrote in message
...
I have a privet hedge in my garden which has been allowed by previous owner
to grow wild. It's leggy and woody (about 2" diameter in places) with no
leaves up to about 7 feet and then has unchecked leaf growth. It's
basically behaving like a group of trees.

What should I do with it? If I were to cut it back would it grow in again?
And if so, how close to the ground should I cut it? Or would I be better
getting shot of it and building a fence and if so what do I need to do?

I'd appreciate any suggestions and help. it's a mess as it is. Thanks in
advance.

xiv

Thanks guys. 2" it is!

In article ,
"louisxiv" writes:
|
| Thanks guys. 2" it is!

Don't go right down to the stump - leave a bit of stem at least.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.