Conifers - Dying/dead :-(

 
Hi guys, Im new here and also VERY new to gardening!!


Ive recently moved into my first home and am currently trying to sort
out the garden so we can enjoy this lovely weather properly!!


Anyway, firstly, please take a look at the attached photographs I took
of the conifers. As you can see, they are very patchy with browny grey
dead sections, tiny bugs to appear to fly out of these areas when
'trimming' the connifers to!?


Im sure I am in the right place to find out what the problem is, and if
it is possible to overcome this?


Any advice would be much appreciated!


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Timmos1983

 On Wed, 27 Apr 2011 08:00:46 +0000, Timmos1983


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That hedge looks like the previous owners didn't trim it properly from
the outset and now you're having to get it into shape but I'm sorry to
say that from the photos it looks like you have simply cut too far
into the trees; as we say "into the old wood".

It is normal for only the outside growth on conifers to be green
whilst the growth inside - the "old wood" - appears dead.  Essentially
the damage is now done and the trees will not regrow from that old
wood.

However there is a workaround. Allow the shoots around the "dead"
areas to grow long, bend them over and tie them together to cover the
dead bit. This will take a few years but, in time, you'll be able to
train sufficient new growth to hide the dead stuff. Meanwhile, you
need to allow the hedge to becomer a bit thicker and never trim beyond
the green growth.

Another thing is that the photos look like there are actually two rows
of conifers with the ones on your side being shorter than the ones
behind. If that is the case then only the outside side of each row
will be green, the insides will die completely over time as they  get
insufficient light.

 



and if that sounds like a load of gobbledegook, take a look at the following
picture I have just taken for you.

http://www.myalbum.com/Album-UE4ZETOL-Photos-of-Other.html

This is where a neighbour took the end of the hedge off so he could get
another car in front of the house. He has allowed the long bits to grow
across and cover the bare wood which was exposed. Not much can be done about
the bare bits on the front of the hedge.

Mike
--

...................................
It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice.
...................................

 says...

All true, dreadful hedges in my opinion, yew or similar is much better as
it can be cut hard back
It also sounds as if you may have aphids causing damage, this is made
worse by cutting too short
--
Charlie Pridham, Gardening in Cornwall
www.roselandhouse.co.uk
Holders of national collections of Clematis viticella cultivars and
Lapageria rosea

 
Thanks guys, your replies are much appreciated!


Can I just say though that these dead bits were already exposed before I
trimmed it? I doubt this makes any difference though as obviously
someone has cut it back too much previously and so thats that isn't it.



Is it worth me taking them out and starting again?


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Timmos1983