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Rhododendron help

James.buttler1975James.buttler1975 Posts: 14
in Plants
hi, I have these rhododendrons I planted last year they have grown a lot since I planted them but I can't seem to control the growth.

i bought them with the intention of pruning them into a hedge to stop my dogs from getting into the main part of my garden rather than using a wooden fence. 

I cant find much information online so I'm hoping someone here can advise me on what to do to make these rhododendrons form a nice hedge?

thanks 


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  • James.buttler1975James.buttler1975 Posts: 14
    Here's some more pictures, as you can see there's some holes in the plants that I really need filling all the new shoots seem to be growing on the top straight up even after i pruned off all this years flowers. Rather than growing into the gaps
  • fidgetbonesfidgetbones Derbyshire but with a Nottinghamshire postcode. Posts: 16,472
    Rhododendrons tend to form blob shaped shrubs. Continual pruning to make them hedge shape is likely to lead to them not flowering.  If you want a non flowering hedge with that shape leaf, maybe try Cherry Laurel.
  • James.buttler1975James.buttler1975 Posts: 14
    If I google rhododendron hedge there's pictures of the hedge so it must be possible?
  • UpNorthUpNorth South Leeds, West Yorkshire, UK Posts: 376
    James, I would bet my money on fidget, not Google search algorithm 😀.     Unlikely a shrub is going to work as a dog guard.  

    Do you know the specific rhododendron?  Some can grow very large 
  • James.buttler1975James.buttler1975 Posts: 14
    edited June 2018
    Not sure on the specific rhododendron now I bought it over a year ago. 

    my dogs won't walk through a dense shrub if it's grown properly as a hedge it's just getting it to that stage

     https://www.rhododendrons.co.uk/Page/44/rhododendrons-for-hedging-and-screening.aspx
  • James.buttler1975James.buttler1975 Posts: 14
    This is the one I have https://www.havlis.cz/karta_en.php?kytkaid=3702
  • BorderlineBorderline Posts: 4,687
    Your link states 0.8 meters in height and similar in width. Those are maximum height and spread. So, you need to plant them no more than a meter between plants to have them to eventually form a barrier. The height is not very tall either so, it may take some time to reach that height for a start. They are young plants, so they will unlikely form a barrier in a year.
  • James.buttler1975James.buttler1975 Posts: 14
    edited June 2018
    Borderline said:
    Your link states 0.8 meters in height and similar in width. Those are maximum height and spread. So, you need to plant them no more than a meter between plants to have them to eventually form a barrier. The height is not very tall either so, it may take some time to reach that height for a start. They are young plants, so they will unlikely form a barrier in a year.
    They are already 0.7m in height and 0.8m wide I dunno why nurserys state the maximum heights at 2m as I've seen a rhododendron Cynthia get to over 10m with some nurseries saying 2m  
    They have grown atleast 10 cm since I cut off the flowers 3 weeks ago but they are only growing up
  • BorderlineBorderline Posts: 4,687
    Some Rhododendrons are huge, so it is important to really research and find the right sort for your garden. In the meantime, your plants are growing well, and it's only been a year. I don't think there are any issues. 
  • James.buttler1975James.buttler1975 Posts: 14
    I think they are growing well it's just that they are only sending new shoots directly up on the top of the plant, not filling in any gaps. I wonder if I need to cut them down to the ground then when they reshoot top the new shoots every 5 cm or so
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