Just planted Laurel

OneLungDavy

Hi all,

I recently planted about 90 laurel in the back and front garden in hope to create a hedge. I'm a complete noob and am sh1tting it they won't take.

My biggest concern is that the soil is terrible in places, like gravel. Some other parts have concrete(or something similar) about 6/7 inches down, digging further down is impossible. I tried to mix in some other soil plus chicken manure pellets to improve chances.

My question is, when will I know if the plants are growing healthily? Anything else I can do to at this stage to improve growth?

Thanks!

hirondelle

I think your best bet is to note the sections with poorer soil and amend them over the years, lightly digging in some compost just below the surface and feeding with more of the pellets- any 'healthy' sections don't really need assistance. Personally, I would dig a few testholes to see where the concrete start as and ends as it will definitely slow the plants if the concrete is extensive.

You will know by the comparative rate of plant growth- they should all grow equally so smaller plants or ones with yellowing leaves or leaf drop-off all may indicate it is struggling for nutrients.

looksee

Poorer soil can be improved as hirondelle says, laurel is pretty easy going and will likely be ok, though the plants may not be as vigorous as the ones in good soil. The concrete is another matter, 6 - 8 inches isn't a lot of depth - how big were the plants? The smaller they are to start the more likely they are to compensate or look for better soil, but I doubt you will get much joy out of them.

The thing that comes to mind is - how close to a wall or fence did you plant them? Is the concrete the foundations of a wall? If it is then you have likely planted the entire hedge too close to the wall.

You will see how healthy the plants are as they grow quite easily. Poorer ones will not grow as well, and will tend to have yellowish leaves or sparser leaves.

10-10-20

Were they root-balled or potted? What height?

Ensure you have a method of watering the plants during next year's spring/summer and don't overwater them either.

You may also see some leaf drop-off/yellowing initially, especially as they settle; try and establish if the ones with poorer soil are worst affected and treat as above.

OneLungDavy

They were planted beside a concrete fence in the back, probably a foot out. They were bare-root, size varied but most were probably 40cm-60cm.

Surinamo

I wish you all the best with your Laurel hedging - a beautiful choice of foliage for low maintenance hedging. The leaves have a lovely scent and shape. The rustle of their leaves in the wind is also nice.

is_that_so

Know someone that has a single one in their front garden, nearly as tall as their house now.

Dr4gul4

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118279316#Comment_118279316

As most here have said Laurel is super hardy, as long as it's not swimming in water it'll do ok, that being said, they do like to get there roots down, but failing that they will head sideways.

On a separate note why did you go with bare root ? why not potted 40/60's . Bare root laurels don't seem as popular now as I looked recently my self ( planted 120 laurels about 4 weeks ago). Even got told that not many import them now due to failed crops, and a disease coming in from main land Europe. The latter I found a touch hard to believe as there's no mention of it anywhere, but either way, just curious.

OneLungDavy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118282636#Comment_118282636

The only reason was price. The smallest potted laurel being offered locally was €5.50, I got the bare-root for €2.50 each.

Good to know they are hardy. I can live with them not maturing too well, I just hope they don't die on me.

Is it hardy?

Jim_Hodge

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118283233#Comment_118283233

Extremely

Dr4gul4

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118283196#Comment_118283196

Yikes, what's done is done .. Grow them on a knife edge !! and introduce some fertilizer once or twice after year 1.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118279390#Comment_118279390

Me too, and I didn't even plant it there. It was a volunteer from a neighbours hedge trim a few years ago that took root and decided it liked it there very much. It's currently about 7ft high and 4ft wide and that's having previously cut it down to the stem in an attempt to curtail it's growth. The trunk is about 5-6" diameter. It's in an area surrounded by pavers up against a north facing wall. Couldn't have planned it to grow there but I always wonder do people know what they're getting into when they plant laurels. I watched a gardening channel plant about 30 of them in a small enough space in double rows to create a hedge and couldn't help wondering how manageable it will be in 5 years time. They are insanely hardy, extremely fast growing trees. I wouldn't worry about one or two not taking op, you're sure to get a lot of coverage if even half of them take for you!

trashcan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118283233#Comment_118283233

Beat me to it 😀. I clicked into this thread just to express the hope that this Laurel was Hardy !

I just, I just got the joke.

looksee

Oh, yes!

Still stihl waters 3

Laurel is the rasputin of the hedge world

leoch

Wats ur opinions lads on planting a new grilling hedge in plenty of new soil as a hedge for privacy from next door....are they quick growing

looksee

Grilling? Griselinia? Perish the thought! Is that your best option?

OneLungDavy

Some of my Laurel have gone bare. The leaves turned brown and fell off, is there any saving them? I planted them in Nov.

10-10-20

Any chance of a photo?

Where are you based, roughly? Is the site exposed? You mentioned soil earlier, were these planted in the worse soil area?

OneLungDavy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119016800#Comment_119016800

Strangely enough, the row that is most affected had the best soil. Based in a pretty large estate in the Midlands.

The Continental Op

Doubt the soil is up to much. The main rosette weed in the grass is probably Catsear (or Hawkbit?) which grows well in soils with poor fertility.

The trench you put the plants in really needed to be at least a foot across, more would have been better and taking away the topsoil in the sod probably removed the best part of the soil.

10-10-20

It could be compacted too.

Some others may have more informed opinions on this (I'm a hack, feel free to call me out): If you're feeling brave you could try dig the plants out in a circular form around the roots and move them to the side. Then work proper & well broken-down compost and peat-moss, into the soil; break it up well to a depth and radius of ~30 cm's, and add two hand-fulls of poultry manure pellets, then loosen the roots on the plant a little and return it to the soil, watering reasonably well. Then keep up the watering during dry periods, but don't overwater.

You might save a % of the plants by doing this and the results should show this summer.

standardg60

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119021423#Comment_119021423

Saves me the hassle of typing.

Perfect advice, a fork would be best to lift the plants, should come up easily from the looks of them

The Continental Op

The soil could certainly do with a good dig over and the addition of copious amounts or organic material. Whatever Lidl have, the cheapest biggest bags of compost they do would be OK and dig a bag for every three plants, say 40cm wide and a min of 20cm deep. I suspect even pot grown plants would have failed in the conditions there.

OneLungDavy

Ah lads, you were supposed to say there's some magic spray I can get in Woodies for a fiver. I have a few back-ups that I might use in November if these plants don't take.

The Continental Op

I have some magic beans ;-)