My hedge is lovely at the top and middle but the bottom is bare, is there anything I can do to make it better.
2006-07-13 04:27:14 · 8 answers · asked by smilley 2 in Home & Garden ➔ Garden & Landscape
Prune! You can safely take off 1/3 of the total top growth. Take a really big breath first, it is scary to trim this much. You could also take the best trimmings and plunk them in water to see if they will root for future transplants. And don't forget to fertilize
2006-07-13 04:48:46 · answer #1 · answered by reynwater 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
This type of hedge will take some time to grow as the only way to make the hedge thick to the bottom is to cut it back so that the new shoots develop close to the ground. Many people think that they should wait until the bush is the height they want it before cutting back but this is wrong. The new shoots will always appear near the tip of the branch and the buds further in will not develop so if left to grow un-checked you will get a hollow center and it will grow in height but not thickness. However if you cut the bush hard back each year to the 3 or 4 bud nodes nearest the start of each branch, the bush will show new growth near to the base of the plant and will become thick at the base. After several years of good pruning you will achieve the hedge you want. Unfortunately it will take several years to get even a small hedge and many years to get a large hedge as privet is not the fastest of growers. If you want a faster growing hedge you could try one made of Grissellinia (not sure if I've spelt that right) as its a much faster grower but the pruning still applies. Good Luck ;o)
2016-03-27 03:48:23 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Privet hedging can take an enormous amount of abuse, cutting back. If it's getting too wide you can cut back hard and it regrows with lush new growth, could take year or two to fill out though and looks pretty bare meantime. I have done this myself but did one side at a time so can take quite a while to complete.... 2-4 yrs :-) But your question, bare bottom lol... don't forget to prune any little twigs AT the bottom. Cut them back by about a 1/3, will help, springtime best.
2006-07-13 04:54:07 · answer #3 · answered by Dick s 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
We trim the tops with hand pruners. Make 45 degree angled cuts about 1/4inch from the leaf. Pruning the tops will allow more light to filter through to the bottom of the plant and create new growth.
Also, prune out any dead or lingering branches.
2006-07-13 04:42:49 · answer #4 · answered by Dan S 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
clean it up, prune it - Just nip or lop off the tops and side shoots. Open the middle up a little bit - get some light onto the bottom.
When you cut the top and prune you force growth downward.
Privet, thats a funny word. old english
2006-07-13 04:34:56 · answer #5 · answered by johncharlesrealty 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
cut the top of the hedge and the bottom will thicken up,the more you cut off the top the thicker the bottom will be.
2006-07-13 06:34:46 · answer #6 · answered by jean c 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Pick up current issue of Fine Gardening magazine.
It has an excellent article on pruning all sorts of plants.
2006-07-13 05:24:57 · answer #7 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Keep it well trimmed back.
Unfortunately trimming means that you will not get the flowers, but if you don't want it to be "leggy" it's the only thing to do.
2006-07-13 09:29:33 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋