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Copper Beech hedge loosing leaves

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  • 02-08-2012 6:00pm
    #1
    Fr Tod Umptious
    Registered Users Posts: 15,242 ✭✭✭✭


    Hi
    About a month or so ago we planed copper beech hedging around the house.

    Each plant is about 18in high and the are set about 1 foot apart

    We did exactly as the guy in the garden centre told us, a hole for each plant, compost down first, then chicken manure, then fill it in with compost.

    Problem is at least 30% of them have now lost their leaves all together or are on the way to loosing their leaves.
    the weather has been very poor, cold and very wet mainly.

    Are the plants dead or are they just shedding their leaves very early due to the weather ?
    It's very disappointing.


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    #2
    Oldtree
    Registered Users Posts: 8,104 ✭✭✭Oldtree


    what kind of pots were the trees in?
    did you check to see if they were rootbound?
    is the planting site very wet/dry?
    photo please.


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    #3
    looksee
    Registered Users Posts: 28,458 ✭✭✭✭looksee


    Would the chicken manure have been in direct contact with the roots? Not a good idea imo. I know people go mad putting in loads of fertilizer etc in with shrubs, I think it can be overdone.

    Other than that, well the season hasn't been great. Look closely at the twigs and scrape one with your fingernail. If you can see greenish/white moist wood then they are most likely ok. If the wood is white and dry, or brownish, then you have a problem.


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    #4
    paddy147
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 15,858 ✭✭✭✭paddy147


    I presume that there were "potted" beech trees that you bought??

    I wonder could they have been "bareroot" that were dug up and potted up too late by the garden centre??


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    #5
    Fr Tod Umptious
    Registered Users Posts: 15,242 ✭✭✭✭Fr Tod Umptious


    Thanks for the replies folks.

    The ground that they are planted on is not bone dry by any means but is not a bog either, it is a little soft as you walk on it due to the biblical levels of rains we have seen for months now.

    The tress were potted and the roots would be in direct contact with the chicken manure, as that is what the guy in the garden centre advised - compost, then chicken manure, then the plant.
    For each plant I put in maybe one level gardening shovel/trowel of chicken manure.

    I took a tiny nick of a stem this morning on my way out and I am really not sure how white or green it is or how moist it is or not, I'll take a few pics over the weekend and share them.

    The tips of the twigs look like there are buds on them but that may be only wishful thinking by me.


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    #6
    Northclare
    Closed Accounts Posts: 724 ✭✭✭Northclare


    Can you put up a closeup picture of your hedge maybe it would be easier to identify the problem.


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