Comments for Hedging your bets (or betting your hedges) http://www.hedging.uk.com Hedging plants, bare root hedge plants, evergreen hedges. Tips tricks, advice and trivia Thu, 04 Dec 2008 20:57:08 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 Comment on Dead and Dying Yew Hedges and Trees by Julian http://www.hedging.uk.com/dead-and-dying-yew-trees-and-hedges/#comment-95 Julian Wed, 24 Sep 2008 07:33:45 +0000 http://blog.ashridgetrees.co.uk/?p=20#comment-95 Hi Alf Yew hedging bronzes or goes brown because the yew plants in it are stressed (physically rather than mentally). From what you describe, if I had to pick one cause, it would be root rot. It sounds as if you are on clay, which drains badly and we have had a succession of wet winters and/or summers. Being cell grown plants I guess you planted your yew in holes or a trench, and either would have spent a good part of the last four years full of water. (For future reference, you may find it better to plant bare root hedging plants). They are cheaper, establish better and can be slit planted so there is no hole to fill with water and drown the roots. The is a film on our main website on <a href="http://store.ashridgetrees.co.uk/How-to-Plant-a-Hedge-Country-Hedging-Film" rel="nofollow">How to Plant a Country Hedge</a> which shows the technique you should use. I hate to say this, but if you dig up one of the affected yew plants in late October, you will almost certainly it has some see soft, black rather smelly roots. If so, you might think about - giving your yew hedge a foliar feed now to try give it a boost, - digging up the whole hedge & trimming the diseased roots off (and burning them) - trying to improve the drainage by digging a relief drain so water flows down the hill - replanting and mulching heavily. Yew is a wonderfully resilient hedging plant and your existing plants can recover if they are given a little help (and if it is not too late). But it must be worth a try. Hope this helps, and good luck Julian Hi Alf
Yew hedging bronzes or goes brown because the yew plants in it are stressed (physically rather than mentally). From what you describe, if I had to pick one cause, it would be root rot. It sounds as if you are on clay, which drains badly and we have had a succession of wet winters and/or summers. Being cell grown plants I guess you planted your yew in holes or a trench, and either would have spent a good part of the last four years full of water. (For future reference, you may find it better to plant bare root hedging plants). They are cheaper, establish better and can be slit planted so there is no hole to fill with water and drown the roots. The is a film on our main website on How to Plant a Country Hedge which shows the technique you should use.

I hate to say this, but if you dig up one of the affected yew plants in late October, you will almost certainly it has some see soft, black rather smelly roots. If so, you might think about
- giving your yew hedge a foliar feed now to try give it a boost,
- digging up the whole hedge & trimming the diseased roots off (and burning them)
- trying to improve the drainage by digging a relief drain so water flows down the hill
- replanting and mulching heavily.

Yew is a wonderfully resilient hedging plant and your existing plants can recover if they are given a little help (and if it is not too late). But it must be worth a try.

Hope this helps, and good luck

Julian

]]> Comment on Dead and Dying Yew Hedges and Trees by Alf Holliday http://www.hedging.uk.com/dead-and-dying-yew-trees-and-hedges/#comment-94 Alf Holliday Tue, 23 Sep 2008 11:21:03 +0000 http://blog.ashridgetrees.co.uk/?p=20#comment-94 Julian, I am trying to find a reason for a young yew hedge suffering from individual plants bronzing and whole branches dying. Hedge is 4 years old, from cell grown plants. Each year a plant will go brown and the branch is clearly dead. Trimming off the dead branches leaves a stump but some life remains and the plant looks like it may come back. I live in North Scotland and the hedge is on a south facing slope on a clay soil. I also lost a specimin conifer to the same problem last year. Thought I had got away with it this year but noticed one of the larger plants now a dark brown colour. We do have dogs but problem seems to affect whole branches rather than the whole plant. Any thoughts? Regards Alf Julian,
I am trying to find a reason for a young yew hedge suffering from individual plants bronzing and whole branches dying. Hedge is 4 years old, from cell grown plants. Each year a plant will go brown and the branch is clearly dead. Trimming off the dead branches leaves a stump but some life remains and the plant looks like it may come back.
I live in North Scotland and the hedge is on a south facing slope on a clay soil. I also lost a specimin conifer to the same problem last year.
Thought I had got away with it this year but noticed one of the larger plants now a dark brown colour. We do have dogs but problem seems to affect whole branches rather than the whole plant.
Any thoughts?

Regards Alf

]]> Comment on Blueberry Fields Forever… by Paris http://www.hedging.uk.com/blueberry-fields-forever/#comment-93 Paris Sun, 21 Sep 2008 09:04:17 +0000 http://blog.ashridgetrees.co.uk/?p=48#comment-93 HI, I am intersted to grow Blueberries. I was wonder is it possible for you to send me more information on where are you based and do you sell the Earliblue? HI, I am intersted to grow Blueberries. I was wonder is it possible for you to send me more information on where are you based and do you sell the Earliblue?

]]> Comment on Dead and Dying Yew Hedges and Trees by Julian http://www.hedging.uk.com/dead-and-dying-yew-trees-and-hedges/#comment-92 Julian Sat, 20 Sep 2008 22:32:25 +0000 http://blog.ashridgetrees.co.uk/?p=20#comment-92 If the walnut is a Black Walnut (Juglans nigra) then very possibly. It would not touch an established yew, but newly planted hedging is another matter. If you are not sure if your walnut is black walnut or not, then English and Black walnut are easily distinguished by looking at their leaflets. Black walnut leaves have between fifteen and twenty three leaflets, whereas English walnut has between 5 and nine. English walnut leaflets are much larger and oval, while black walnut leaflets are slimmer and smaller and have serrated edges. There is not much point in moving the yew at this stage. It is an incredibly tough plant and it may be brown for other reasons (and totally brown yew can still recover). The wet weather (if you are on heavy/clay soil may also have something to do with it. Give them a foliar feed and leave them alone. Good luck Julian If the walnut is a Black Walnut (Juglans nigra) then very possibly. It would not touch an established yew, but newly planted hedging is another matter.

If you are not sure if your walnut is black walnut or not, then English and Black walnut are easily distinguished by looking at their leaflets. Black walnut leaves have between fifteen and twenty three leaflets, whereas English walnut has between 5 and nine. English walnut leaflets are much larger and oval, while black walnut leaflets are slimmer and smaller and have serrated edges.

There is not much point in moving the yew at this stage. It is an incredibly tough plant and it may be brown for other reasons (and totally brown yew can still recover). The wet weather (if you are on heavy/clay soil may also have something to do with it. Give them a foliar feed and leave them alone.

Good luck
Julian

]]> Comment on Dead and Dying Yew Hedges and Trees by Charles http://www.hedging.uk.com/dead-and-dying-yew-trees-and-hedges/#comment-91 Charles Sat, 20 Sep 2008 19:55:12 +0000 http://blog.ashridgetrees.co.uk/?p=20#comment-91 An alarming number of plants in a yew hedge planted this spring are turning brown and look as if they might be dieing. It could be that they are waterlogged after the recent very wet weather. But they are also planted under a walnut tree. I understand that walnut trees can give off a chemical that prevents some plants growing underneath them Could this be the problem for my yew hedge. An alarming number of plants in a yew hedge planted this spring are turning brown and look as if they might be dieing. It could be that they are waterlogged after the recent very wet weather. But they are also planted under a walnut tree. I understand that walnut trees can give off a chemical that prevents some plants growing underneath them Could this be the problem for my yew hedge.

]]> Comment on Dead and Dying Yew Hedges and Trees by Julian http://www.hedging.uk.com/dead-and-dying-yew-trees-and-hedges/#comment-90 Julian Tue, 16 Sep 2008 22:13:01 +0000 http://blog.ashridgetrees.co.uk/?p=20#comment-90 Liz, I hope there was something there that helps. Foliar feed is a miracle worker with almost all hedging that is in trouble. If the yew roots still were pot shaped, it either means that they were pot-bound when you got them, or the planting holes were not prepared as well as they could have been. All pot grown yew hedging likes large holes (a little deeper than but twice as wide as the pot) with good soil containing plenty of well rotted organic matter returned around the roots. The roots themselves are pretty tough and can be teased away from the root ball a bit to encourage them to grow into the surrounding soil faster. Let us know how you get on. Best Julian Liz, I hope there was something there that helps. Foliar feed is a miracle worker with almost all hedging that is in trouble.

If the yew roots still were pot shaped, it either means that they were pot-bound when you got them, or the planting holes were not prepared as well as they could have been. All pot grown yew hedging likes large holes (a little deeper than but twice as wide as the pot) with good soil containing plenty of well rotted organic matter returned around the roots. The roots themselves are pretty tough and can be teased away from the root ball a bit to encourage them to grow into the surrounding soil faster.

Let us know how you get on.

Best
Julian

]]> Comment on Dead and Dying Yew Hedges and Trees by Liz http://www.hedging.uk.com/dead-and-dying-yew-trees-and-hedges/#comment-88 Liz Tue, 16 Sep 2008 12:32:57 +0000 http://blog.ashridgetrees.co.uk/?p=20#comment-88 Julian, Thank you for the comments, it gives me some hope as the trees were so beautiful to begin with. The ground is very wet but does drain eventually, climate changes here has meant that it is extremely more soggy than normal. The Yew for the most part still held the size and shape of the pots they came from when I pulled them up -with the exception of the very evidently dead ones which had practically no root left. So maybe they will survive. I will look at alternative alder - thanks again for the advice. Liz Julian, Thank you for the comments, it gives me some hope as the trees were so beautiful to begin with. The ground is very wet but does drain eventually, climate changes here has meant that it is extremely more soggy than normal. The Yew for the most part still held the size and shape of the pots they came from when I pulled them up -with the exception of the very evidently dead ones which had practically no root left. So maybe they will survive. I will look at alternative alder - thanks again for the advice. Liz

]]> Comment on Dead and Dying Yew Hedges and Trees by Julian http://www.hedging.uk.com/dead-and-dying-yew-trees-and-hedges/#comment-85 Julian Mon, 15 Sep 2008 22:49:21 +0000 http://blog.ashridgetrees.co.uk/?p=20#comment-85 Hi Liz, Thanks for your query. Yew first (no pun intended). They are either dead already, in which case there is not much to be done, or they are just poorly. You must work on the assumption they are poorly. Give them a foliar feed, which will boost the plants. By all means cut the really brown stuff off - yew regrows from old wood, so it won't hurt. And be patient - even if you think they are all dead, wait at least until the spring. Yew is incredibly tough and can come back from the edge of the grave. You have done the right thing geting them out of the water - they hate it. Now let time take its course. As for the Alder. They will grow in very wet ground as long as it drains occasionally. However Common and Grey Alder in particular are susceptible to root rot (Phytopthera). If any of your yew had mushy black roots when you lifted them, I woudl be inclined either to plant Italian Alder, or to use willows to be on the safe side. Hope this helps - Good luck Julian Hi Liz,

Thanks for your query.

Yew first (no pun intended). They are either dead already, in which case there is not much to be done, or they are just poorly. You must work on the assumption they are poorly. Give them a foliar feed, which will boost the plants. By all means cut the really brown stuff off - yew regrows from old wood, so it won’t hurt. And be patient - even if you think they are all dead, wait at least until the spring. Yew is incredibly tough and can come back from the edge of the grave. You have done the right thing geting them out of the water - they hate it. Now let time take its course.

As for the Alder. They will grow in very wet ground as long as it drains occasionally. However Common and Grey Alder in particular are susceptible to root rot (Phytopthera). If any of your yew had mushy black roots when you lifted them, I woudl be inclined either to plant Italian Alder, or to use willows to be on the safe side.

Hope this helps -

Good luck
Julian

]]> Comment on Dead and Dying Yew Hedges and Trees by Liz http://www.hedging.uk.com/dead-and-dying-yew-trees-and-hedges/#comment-84 Liz Mon, 15 Sep 2008 16:36:55 +0000 http://blog.ashridgetrees.co.uk/?p=20#comment-84 I have over 60 dying Yew tree down to poor drainage and water logging after a particularly bad summer of rain in SE Ireland... I could cry looking at the brown and dying trees! Anyway, my husband and I spend the weekend taking them up and re-planting in a raised bed to try and save them from dying completely. Most of them are very brown, my question is should I cut back the brown and dead leaves or leave them to get established (hopefully) in their new home?? Any help would be very helpful as we are at a loss what to do with them for the best. Just out of interest I am planning on planting an Alder hedge this time around - likes wet and water logged soil I hear!? I have over 60 dying Yew tree down to poor drainage and water logging after a particularly bad summer of rain in SE Ireland… I could cry looking at the brown and dying trees! Anyway, my husband and I spend the weekend taking them up and re-planting in a raised bed to try and save them from dying completely. Most of them are very brown, my question is should I cut back the brown and dead leaves or leave them to get established (hopefully) in their new home?? Any help would be very helpful as we are at a loss what to do with them for the best. Just out of interest I am planning on planting an Alder hedge this time around - likes wet and water logged soil I hear!?

]]> Comment on Top Tips for Tree Planting by matt richkid http://www.hedging.uk.com/top-tips-for-tree-planting/#comment-81 matt richkid Sat, 13 Sep 2008 11:35:19 +0000 http://www.hedging.uk.com/?p=56#comment-81 Love your site it is very informative am going to research the other posts to see what else I can learn, cheers! and keep up the great work! Love your site it is very informative am going to research the other posts to see what else I can learn, cheers! and keep up the great work!

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