Fertilizing a new hedge

Sconsey

Hi,

I planted a number of laurel bushes last autumn (they are about a foot and a half high) and I figure it will soon be time to put down some fertilizer to encourage growth. I have been advised to put down 'pellets' and I think I was told to go for 10-10-20(?).
Having looked around the garden centres I can find very little fertilizer in pellet form (maybe this is the wrong time of year), the closest I could see was this in B&Q. Do you think it will do the job or should I be looking for something more specialized? Really want to see those hedges grow, drainage is good and will be watering regularly.

Thanks

looksee

First I think it is too early to fertilize, second I personally do not think it is necessary to fertilize a hedge (or most shrubs and trees). If you prod them into a lot of early soft growth they will be susceptible to frost and any cold weather that may still come our way. If you do fertilize it is to encourage fruit or flowers, not green laurel leaves. That fertilizer is specifically for fruit, flowers and veg. A mulch of farmyard manure (not fresh) might be the way to go, but unless they look stressed or starved I would leave them alone.

Niall_daaS

Sconsey wrote: »

Hi,

I planted a number of laurel bushes last autumn (they are about a foot and a half high) and I figure it will soon be time to put down some fertilizer to encourage growth. I have been advised to put down 'pellets' and I think I was told to go for 10-10-20(?).
Having looked around the garden centres I can find very little fertilizer in pellet form (maybe this is the wrong time of year), the closest I could see was this in B&Q. Do you think it will do the job or should I be looking for something more specialized? Really want to see those hedges grow, drainage is good and will be watering regularly.

Thanks

I would wait and see. Planting in autumn always gives plants best conditions for a good start in spring and if the soil isn't too bad this will be enough. And if there are any problems with growth you can still fertilize later in summer or next year.

lk67

Sconsey wrote: »

Hi,

I planted a number of laurel bushes last autumn (they are about a foot and a half high) and I figure it will soon be time to put down some fertilizer to encourage growth. I have been advised to put down 'pellets' and I think I was told to go for 10-10-20(?).
Having looked around the garden centres I can find very little fertilizer in pellet form (maybe this is the wrong time of year), the closest I could see was this in B&Q. Do you think it will do the job or should I be looking for something more specialized? Really want to see those hedges grow, drainage is good and will be watering regularly.

Thanks

10:10:20 is a grassland fertiliser and is not really suitable for ornamental plants, although it is used by some.

Did you include any fertiliser when planting? I would normally recommend blood, fish and bone as a slow release root and shoot promoter, which the plant takes up as it's needed.

Unlike the other posters I would recommend feeding sparingly at the end of March and again at the end of May with Growmore or a tree and shrub fertiliser as it will drive growth in the hedge. Also laurel can be prone to shothole disease if malnourished, and this often happens with laurel in their first and second years.

The most important job to do is to make sure you don't let the grass or weeds grow under your hedge as they will rob nutrients and water from the plants.

Norfolk Enchants_

looksee wrote: »

First I think it is too early to fertilize, second I personally do not think it is necessary to fertilize a hedge (or most shrubs and trees). If you prod them into a lot of early soft growth they will be susceptible to frost and any cold weather that may still come our way. If you do fertilize it is to encourage fruit or flowers, not green laurel leaves. That fertilizer is specifically for fruit, flowers and veg. A mulch of farmyard manure (not fresh) might be the way to go, but unless they look stressed or starved I would leave them alone.

+1 to this.

stooge

from burning turf over the winter we have a load of spent ash, would you recommend mixing with normal soil and spreading around a laurel hedge? Would it help/hinder/ have no impact?