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Privet hedge leaves going yellow in winter.

nathanpickett555nathanpickett555 Posts: 3
in Problem solving

Hello there.

I have had my privet hedge for over one year now. It was planted end of the growing season 2015. For some reason all the leaves are falling off. There is no sign of any fungi or rot. But I akways believed that privet was evergreen? Can anyone help? Is there something I should be doing?

many thanks

Nathan 

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Posts

  • mushermusher Posts: 389

    Nothing lives for ever Nathan. Not even ever greens. It's nothing to worry about, they will shed those older leave's and regenerate. Merry Christmas.

  • Mark56Mark56 Posts: 1,653

    I second what musher said, no need to worry. Mine are doing the same now. They are slightly more sparse over winter. 

  • nathanpickett555nathanpickett555 Posts: 3

    Thanks guys I was a worreied then.

    id say they have shed maybe half their leaves so far.

    they have never been cut and are about 6ft now.

    any tips on pruning?

  • nathanpickett555nathanpickett555 Posts: 3

    Oh and merry Christmas to you both tooimage

  • Guernsey Donkey2Guernsey Donkey2 Posts: 6,713

    We prune our privets twice a year (it is law to cut hedges twice over here), June and September. Depending how tall they were when planted and how leggy they are will define how much to prune them nathanpicket 555, you want a dense hedge, so encourage them to thicken if they are leggy.

  • RedwingRedwing Posts: 1,439

    Mine are doing the same Nathan.  I think it's because we had some early pretty hard frosts.  As others have said, it will recover.

    Based in Sussex, I garden to encourage as many birds to my garden as possible.
  • RedwingRedwing Posts: 1,439
    Guernsey Donkey2 says:

    We prune our privets twice a year (it is law to cut hedges twice over here), June and September. Depending how tall they were when planted and how leggy they are will define how much to prune them nathanpicket 555, you want a dense hedge, so encourage them to thicken if they are leggy.

    See original post

     Really? A law to cut hedges in June?  Isn't Guernsey in the EU?  Hedges should only be cut between September and March - EU regulation, unless it is a traffic or other hazard.  Many birds will be nesting in hedges in June.

    Based in Sussex, I garden to encourage as many birds to my garden as possible.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 53,942

    Hi Nathan - privet isn't evergreen so in harsh winters it will lose more foliage than in a milder one. imageNothing to worry about unless there's a big swathe of it and signs of fungus. 

    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • Mark56Mark56 Posts: 1,653

    I also usually do mine twice a year because it grows like wild fire but generally no tips, just try to thicken it lower down by taking off the tops. It's tough as old boots and will regenerate well. Mine produces lovely little black coloured berries which the birds love, although pruning removes them so I try to leave some parts longer. It will also flower :) merry christmas to you too! 

    Last edited: 13 December 2016 12:49:49

  • Guernsey Donkey2Guernsey Donkey2 Posts: 6,713

    I should have included the information Redwing that it is only roadside hedges that have to be cut in June & Sept. No we aren't in the EU here, and yes I do realize that birds may still be nesting in June - I don't make the laws.

    We only cut our inner garden hedges once a year in September.  It is just the roadside of the hedges that get cut twice a year.

    We live on an island where the roads are very, very narrow, and especially field hedges contain a lot of brambles which grow incredibly quickly and blot out vision and road signs if left to grow too high or spread uncontrollably.

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