I have a large hedge at the back of my yard which looks like it is not very healthy. Among the green it has patches of yellow and even dried out branches. What is the best method of carying for this? Someone told me to get a massive amount of natural fertilizer and over spread it right now so that when it rains throughout the spring it will bring the hedge back to life by summertime. Is this true?
you cant medicate without proper diagnosis. To determine if you need fertilizer get a soil test done. Then decide what may be beneficial to add to the exisitng soil.
I'm sorry for being such a newbie at this but what would be the next step? I am concerned as I don't want to lose the hedge if I don't do something because it is the only privacy we have from a townhouse complex on the other side. What could you recommend? Andre
Somone told me that this might work but it looks like it is not an outdoor treatment http://www.rambridge.com/products/garden/guard/guardian.html ?
like I said before, you cant medicate until you diagnose the problem. Can you put some pics up at all? in regards to the product linked too, its designed for hydroponics, not for outdoor soil applications. yellow and thinning branches could be from a physical breakage. overall plant discoloration is from lack of nutrients, pH issues etc. Spotty or irregular damage is usually environmental, IE physical damage, spray damage etc. Dont worry about being a newbie, not an issue on boards like this. Any info and clues you can present will help to naoorw down what the problem may be. and pics speak a thousand if you can post a few up.
It is a cedar hedge. Thank you for your help. I had someone look at it and I was told it is just lack of meintenance and best thing to do is fertilize for now. Apparently some of the dead areas were due to over-pruning. It needs to be prunned but I'd rather not do it myself. Can you guys recommend someone who knows what their doing and won't kill my hedge? Also, I'd like to continue with the hedge around my yard, can you guys recommend where I could buy some white cedar trees for this? I was told that the spacing should be every 2 -3 feet for a nice hedge to form is this true? Thank you again, Andre
It is pretty hard to kill a cedar hedge by pruning. Cedars are pretty resilient. Not a bad thing to start learning to prune on. Just remember that the bottom of the hedge should be wider than the top, how much depends on the look you want. This allows light to reach the bottom of the cedars. People often wonder why the bottoms are so scraggly. If the light doesn't get to the bottom, that is what happens. Basically all you have to do is trim up the sides and the top. Start with a little pruning, not massive. You can always cut more off, but you can't put it back. Massive amounts of fertilizer are almost always the kiss of death. I prefer the little and often route. Follow the directions on the package, and do not use more than suggested. I also have doubts about that being your problem.
