There was one of these laurels that I didn't need to be in, so I cut it back to 6" and dug it out today. Thought I'd do a little experiment with it. So I've planted it in my front garden to see if it will re-take. A 6' plant down to 6" is pretty harsh.
I'll post a pic of it this time next year if it survives.
Anyway when I dug it out and shook the soil off, I noticed it had a netting on it (pic2). I bought these things as potted plants, does this mean it's a rootballed plant that the seller has just stuck in a pot for a con, or is this normal practice for pot grown plants?
Thanks, yes I'm very pleased with the front (side actually!)
So in your opinion is that a rootballed plant with that netting on, ie I've been had? I guess it doesn't matter now, nothing I can do, but just want to know..
I buy plants online, but only from specialist nurseries that have a good reputation - we have a Good Guy thread on here with recommendations - I wouldn't spend more than a fiver on plants via Ebay!
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Apologies for jumping in but I found this thread via google when looking for feeding advice for my own hedge.
Your situation is very similar to mine. I wanted an instant hedge so bought from ebay. I went in with my brothers and paid for 100 plants via ebay. We collected ourselves after hiring a van. The nursery wasn't employing the sharpest workers and they miscounted how many plants we eventually loaded. With everything paid for the plants worked out at less than £6 each!
I planted in March in a fresh trench. My soil is hard and clay and dries out quite easily. Initially i was watering daily but that's reduced now. Some plants I took the tops off bringing them all down to 6ft. I've just looked outside and they have all regrown fuller. The cuttings I put into the ground between the plants. Some died, some of them appear to have taken.
After reading this thread i've decided to take a few feet off the plants, i'll replant the cuttings in the gaps and keep well watered.
The plants that are sheltered by the fence have bushed out much more than the exposed ones.
I'll visit the garden centre and buy some feed and mulch as advised.
The advise I would give, as I always do, is cut those bushes down by at least half, that thin wispy growth is no good at all, if you want a hedge, growing right from the ground you have to cut then back, taking tops off will not work. Those around the front, bordering the road will have to be cut down as far as that little light green shrub on the corner. If you look at the start of this thread you will see by Befuddleds trees.
unless you want it like that of course.
i can't believe people are paying this price for Laurel, you would be far better off buying these plants at 2 ft tall and just pinching the top 2inches out,
Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor.
Thank you. I bought fish blood and bone feed along with some mulch today. I'll cut them in half over the weekend and dig in the feed. I don't think I need to cut back as much as befuddled though. The thinest branches will be cut right back though.
To be fair my little experiment plant in the front has taken (ie it's not died) but hasn't grown anything new. Like Dan my plants have bushed out slightly following the trim, more than Dan's to be fair, but not grown anything new in terms of height really, and it's been 6 months now. And they have about a tonne EACH of grade1 topsoil to go at! And an absolute load of blood fish and bone. I'm keeping hope because similar plants we did a few years ago shot off in the 2nd year.
Lyn, I know you mean well but I do find it slightly rubs me up the wrong way when you say "I can't believe people are paying this much for plants". In my case it is pure ignorance. But I don't think it's unreasonable for your average Joe to assume that buying bigger plants will lead to a quicker result. You are a gardener, but in my first post I said I was anything but. I have no knowledge and no time for it. But I can do anything with a car, build a mean wall, fix the plumbing, and rewire a house... all of that while doing the day job of being a pretty good computer engineer. I would baulk at paying money for any of those things... but we can't all be good at everything. Sometimes, annoyingly, you've just got to accept you can't do everything yourself, and trust in people that they are honest and know what they are doing. And then when you get done over, come online and hope to find some good advice.
Well, that is ...fairly brave think I may have been a bit braver though. Your plants are actually a bit close together.
Now wait....they have some work to do underground. The less they support on the top, the more root they will grow. Let them get on with it, and stop worrying.
I'd have tried to be a bit braver too - I'd take them down to knee-height - perhaps you have long legs? But ok, you've done it and even if you don't reduce it any lower you'll still get a hedge - just lower would encourage quicker and thicker growth.
As Tetley says, the roots have got to get established now, so don't worry about them, let them get on with it - don't expect to see anything happen now until next year - if it does, then that's a bonus
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Posts
There was one of these laurels that I didn't need to be in, so I cut it back to 6" and dug it out today. Thought I'd do a little experiment with it. So I've planted it in my front garden to see if it will re-take. A 6' plant down to 6" is pretty harsh.
I'll post a pic of it this time next year if it survives.
Anyway when I dug it out and shook the soil off, I noticed it had a netting on it (pic2). I bought these things as potted plants, does this mean it's a rootballed plant that the seller has just stuck in a pot for a con, or is this normal practice for pot grown plants?
Thanks, Stillfuddled.
Thanks, yes I'm very pleased with the front (side actually!)
So in your opinion is that a rootballed plant with that netting on, ie I've been had? I guess it doesn't matter now, nothing I can do, but just want to know..
Thanks.
I buy plants online, but only from specialist nurseries that have a good reputation - we have a Good Guy thread on here with recommendations - I wouldn't spend more than a fiver on plants via Ebay!
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Hi
Apologies for jumping in but I found this thread via google when looking for feeding advice for my own hedge.
Your situation is very similar to mine. I wanted an instant hedge so bought from ebay. I went in with my brothers and paid for 100 plants via ebay. We collected ourselves after hiring a van. The nursery wasn't employing the sharpest workers and they miscounted how many plants we eventually loaded. With everything paid for the plants worked out at less than £6 each!
I planted in March in a fresh trench. My soil is hard and clay and dries out quite easily. Initially i was watering daily but that's reduced now. Some plants I took the tops off bringing them all down to 6ft. I've just looked outside and they have all regrown fuller. The cuttings I put into the ground between the plants. Some died, some of them appear to have taken.
After reading this thread i've decided to take a few feet off the plants, i'll replant the cuttings in the gaps and keep well watered.
The plants that are sheltered by the fence have bushed out much more than the exposed ones.
I'll visit the garden centre and buy some feed and mulch as advised.
Any other advice?
Any advice gratefully received.
Kind regards
Dan
The advise I would give, as I always do, is cut those bushes down by at least half, that thin wispy growth is no good at all, if you want a hedge, growing right from the ground you have to cut then back, taking tops off will not work. Those around the front, bordering the road will have to be cut down as far as that little light green shrub on the corner. If you look at the start of this thread you will see by Befuddleds trees.
unless you want it like that of course.
i can't believe people are paying this price for Laurel, you would be far better off buying these plants at 2 ft tall and just pinching the top 2inches out,
Thank you. I bought fish blood and bone feed along with some mulch today. I'll cut them in half over the weekend and dig in the feed. I don't think I need to cut back as much as befuddled though. The thinest branches will be cut right back though.
Rip off? is £6 a plant a rip off?
To be fair my little experiment plant in the front has taken (ie it's not died) but hasn't grown anything new. Like Dan my plants have bushed out slightly following the trim, more than Dan's to be fair, but not grown anything new in terms of height really, and it's been 6 months now. And they have about a tonne EACH of grade1 topsoil to go at! And an absolute load of blood fish and bone. I'm keeping hope because similar plants we did a few years ago shot off in the 2nd year.
Lyn, I know you mean well but I do find it slightly rubs me up the wrong way when you say "I can't believe people are paying this much for plants". In my case it is pure ignorance. But I don't think it's unreasonable for your average Joe to assume that buying bigger plants will lead to a quicker result. You are a gardener, but in my first post I said I was anything but. I have no knowledge and no time for it. But I can do anything with a car, build a mean wall, fix the plumbing, and rewire a house... all of that while doing the day job of being a pretty good computer engineer. I would baulk at paying money for any of those things... but we can't all be good at everything. Sometimes, annoyingly, you've just got to accept you can't do everything yourself, and trust in people that they are honest and know what they are doing. And then when you get done over, come online and hope to find some good advice.
Refuddled.
LOL
I'm a computer engineer and race cars at the weekend (fixing them during the week!)
I've given it a trim
I'd have tried to be a bit braver too - I'd take them down to knee-height - perhaps you have long legs? But ok, you've done it and even if you don't reduce it any lower you'll still get a hedge - just lower would encourage quicker and thicker growth.
As Tetley says, the roots have got to get established now, so don't worry about them, let them get on with it - don't expect to see anything happen now until next year - if it does, then that's a bonus
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.