My hedge is dying :( Is it too late?

Khanivore

Hello, I have a hedge that goes around the edge of my front garden and offers privacy to us. It seems to be dying or dead?) and I’m hoping there is a way to recover it. Any advice would be greatly appreciated on how to either fix the current hedge or replace the dead portion if necessary/possible. 

I have attached a picture of a healthy part plus photos of a dead part.

bertrand-mabel

Looks like Leylandi and no it wont grow back.

It looks as though it has been cut back and Leylandi will not respond to that.

Sorry

Khanivore

It was never cut back much at all - just slightly trimmed now
and they This just started to happen and I’ve no idea why

Khanivore

could I cut out the dead bit? Would this allow me branches to grow out from the ‘trunk’?

do I need to have the entire hedge removed and get a new one?

 What’s the best long term solution?

JennyJ

It won't regrow from brown wood or make new branches from the main trunks (sorry!). Only the parts that are still green will carry on growing, so the best solution is to replace it. For a small brown area I would suggest trying to train the green growth across the surface of the brown parts, but I think yours is too far gone for that

Chris-P-Bacon

No.. it's had it. How long did it take to get in the that state?
I'm tempting to say lack of water but could also be overzealous ' trimming'. Having said that, that's fairly extreme die back.

JennyJ

There are some pests and diseases that can cause conifer dieback but you'd need to look closely and see if you can diagnose it https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=132

I think I'd be inclined to replace it with something different (broad-leaved, not conifer) that won't be susceptible to the same things and will regenerate if it needs to be cut back hard.

Dovefromabove

I'm wondering whether it could be the result of severe Cypress aphid infestation.  For more info see here https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=132

I'd replace it with something else ... beech, holly and yew are nice for a front garden hedge and both can be kept nice and slim so they don't take up as much room as leylandii or laurel.  

Khanivore

Oh dear - as you can see I’ve got a very big amount of hedge to replace in that case I’m really sad. Feel like I’ve killed an old green friend

@Chris-P-Bacon it probably took 2 or 3 years. I didn’t know what to do or who to turn to.

@JennyJ thanks for the link. I’ll check the site.

@Dovefromabove many thanks for the alternative hedge suggestions. I’ll look in to them. Dread to think what it will cost.

JennyJ

The least expensive way to buy hedging plants is bare-rooted whips in the dormant season - they take some time to grow and thicken up, but it's less work to get them established than big pot-grown plants, and a better chance of success in the long run. But if that's a front garden (which it looks like) maybe you don't need so much hedge, and in any case most of it looks fine at the moment, so you could consider just replacing the affected run of hedge.

Khanivore

@JennyJ it is the front and our little close is off a main road so it offers a good deal of privacy. When you say replace the dead bit (most of it is fine) do you mean have the dead bit removed and replace it with more of the same variety?