Hello, We have a beautiful, old, 6 foot wide and 10 foot high cedar hedge surrounding our entire yard. In the last few years we have noticed that the section of hedge underneath our neighbours white pine tree has not grown much taller and is rather thin and not as lush and green as the rest of the hedge. I took out the 6 inch mat of needles from under the hedge, watered and fed 30-10-10 and am now wondering if there is anything else I should do. Compost? Lime/Calcium? The branches of the pine are right over this section about 4 feet over the top of the hedge. 2 years ago the branch that was right over the hedge broke off so that has helped with the branches not touching directly. Thanks, Jill
Thuja occidentalis is shade intolerant. Its response to the white pine is natural and will be more pronounced as the pine continues to grow & light reaching the cedar continues to diminish. You can either, replace that portion of the hedge with shade tolerant hedging material or, limb the pine tree up higher.
Hello and thank you to the 2 responders. I did put a lot of compost under the hedge, I pulled out the mat of white pine needles from underneath as well and watered and fed the hedge well during the month of June and July. It looks better, much better. I will continue to do this annually and not neglect my poor hedge! Jillian
