I have a problem with laylandii browning.

I recently cut what started out before its crew cut a green conifer hedge row made of 12 x 11ft high conifers out front of bungalow bordering a church, there now is a brown hedge after its hair cut. What would cause the browning the six laylandii hedge row in the back garden is fine. Both Conifer hedges are approx 40yrs old were here when we moved in. 2004
Thanks in anticipation

On 2013-09-24 15:15:41 +0000, Charlie2 said:

I have a problem with laylandii browning.

I recently cut what started out before its crew cut a green conifer
hedge row made of 12 x 11ft high conifers out front of bungalow
bordering a church, there now is a brown hedge after its hair cut. What
would cause the browning the six laylandii hedge row in the back garden
is fine. Both Conifer hedges are approx 40yrs old were here when we
moved in. 2004
Thanks in anticipation

This is not directed at you particularly but I do wish people would ask
these questions BEFORE they act. It sounds as if you've cut much too
far back into the old wood of your Cupressus leylandii and they will
not now regenerate. They don't do that, so it is very probable that
you will be left with these brown stumps. So - you have choices. Cut
those you have out altogether, taking out the stumps with the use of a
chain and winch or Land Rover tow bar etc. Re-plant with some other
form of hedging. OR leave the stumps and grow climbers up them, not the
easiest option,btw. The C. leylandii you've cut are almost certainly
dead or dying. Unlike yew, which can be cut back quite brutally, C
leylandii doesn't grow back, it dies.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon

There are two main causes of Leylandii browning
(1) cutting it back too hard
(2) an aphid that specialises in ruining Leylandii, not very common but found here and there.
Given you have just cut it back, (1) seems most likely.
Whichever the cause, it never grows back green again in the area that it is brown. If you have just a small patch, you can often bend other branches over the brown area. If it is a big area, you are stuffed.

This is one of the several reasons why leylandii is to be avoided. There are other more compliant conifers available, if you must have conifer. Otherwise things like several kinds of berberis and cherry laurel make a much easier to manage and pleasant evergreen hedge.

On 24/09/2013 23:23, echinosum wrote:
Charlie2;992652 Wrote:
I have a problem with laylandii browning.

I recently cut what started out before its crew cut a green conifer
hedge row made of 12 x 11ft high conifers out front of bungalow
bordering a church, there now is a brown hedge after its hair cut. What
would cause the browning the six laylandii hedge row in the back garden
is fine. Both Conifer hedges are approx 40yrs old were here when we
moved in. 2004
Thanks in anticipation
There are two main causes of Leylandii browning
(1) cutting it back too hard
(2) an aphid that specialises in ruining Leylandii, not very common but
found here and there.
Given you have just cut it back, (1) seems most likely.
Whichever the cause, it never grows back green again in the area that it
is brown. If you have just a small patch, you can often bend other
branches over the brown area. If it is a big area, you are stuffed.

This is one of the several reasons why leylandii is to be avoided.
There are other more compliant conifers available, if you must have
conifer. Otherwise things like several kinds of berberis and cherry
laurel make a much easier to manage and pleasant evergreen hedge.

If they have to be removed you will find it easier if you leave around
6ft of trunk as that will give you leverage, so many people cut trees
off at ground level then struggle to get the stumps out.
But as Sacha said you can use the old trunks to grow other plants up,
very good for climbing roses. In fact you could plant climbing roses
into them now and then even if you do get some regrowth it will make the
"Hedge" more interesting.
David @ a sunny Swansea Bay