Help! Damaged Hornbeam Hedge
 

Hi,
A car has rolled into my 3 year old bornbeam hedge (trunk diameter around 1.25" or 3cm - a bit thin as there are other mature tree roots and canopies nearby). One trunk has snapped off, I have had to prune off damaged branches and several trunks have had areas of the bark scraped off.

Advice please - do I need to treat the damaged trunks with anything? Is any special watering or feeding required to stimulate regrowth?

Thanks
David

Hi David,

Even though the stem that was snapped entirely will probably sprout again, I recommend replacing severely damaged plants with ones as close in size to the surrounding plants as possible - you will be waiting a long time otherwise, as the new shoots will have to compete with the hedge around them.

Cut off mangled branches at the trunk - be sure not to cut quite flush with the trunk, leaving a couple of millimetres of "branch collar" to ensure speedy closing of the wound.

If there are cuts to the stem, you could help the tree by painting them over with a sealing product.

If it has been dry recently, by all means water your hedge to help the survivors.

You can get Replacement Hornbeam up to about 1.5 metres at http://www.ashridgetrees.co.uk/Hornb...rpinus-betulus