Wild Plum bushes

MsPresley

I have inherited an established wild plum hedgerow which attracts millions of wasps, bees, bluebottles etc all through the summer.  It is only along one side of my garden which divides my garden with a pathway which is accessed by myself and my neighbours.  It is quite good at giving my garden some privacy but really horrible to pass or go nearby (which is unavoidable) throughtout the spring and summer months.  If i take it down which would involve sawing the trunks and removing the  roots.......huge job......but I would have to, to enable me to plant anything else there so I thought a good idea would be to plant something through it!!!  In the hope of killing it off or masking it a little.  Does anyone have any ideas about what to plant or any other suggestions on what to do about it before the onslaught of bees, wasps and bluebottles

Dovefromabove

I take it that the insects are attracted by the ripe fruit? I suggest that you harvest it yourself or offer it to a keen cook to pick and use. Mirrabelle type pls have lots of culinary uses - if i lived near you I'd come and pick them myself please excuse typos Im on my phone.

MsPresley

Thank you very much but it has very very tiny fruits and i couldnt get near due to the bees, wasps and bluebottles, do you think a weedkiller would do the trick and then plant either an ivy or russian vine to smother it

Dovefromabove

Are these sloe bushes? Little black fruits with a White bloom bitter to taste?

MsPresley

yes i think so they sound like it.....or really seen a bloom and never tasted them....a neighbour told me they were wild plum bushes about 4' tall quite a thick hedge little roundish leaves

Dovefromabove

If you don't want the fruit then I suggest you trim the branched as you would any other hedge immediately after the blossom, first checking that you won't be disturbing any nesting birds. That way there will be little of any fruit to attract the insects . Good luck

MsPresley

Thanks but to be honest ive never noticed much blossom on it, i think its just the leaves that attract the insects.......will take a closer this year

Salino

whatever you do don't plant russian vine, wasps love to nest in those....

MsPresley

The leaves look like this but cant ever remember seeing the blossom like this and ive been here 3 yrs now but it still attracts the insects in their thousands

 

MsPresley

OMG many thanks salino point well noted phew near miss with that then

Dovefromabove

If it has fruit then it must have blossom :-?