When should I prune my Laurel hedge?

benjilloyd

21 years ago

We have a Laurel hedge that is growing like mad (this is its second season in the ground, bought in 2-3 ft in pots).

So far I simply cut off the tiny green branches when they go beyond where I want them to.

I don't do it to a particular schedule, just when I notice.

Is this wrong? Am I creating a rod for my back? Could I be doing any harm not pruning at the 'right time'?

Any help appreciated as always

cheers

ben

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Comments (8)

shrubs_n_bulbs
21 years ago
You can prune whenever you want, with one proviso. Cherry Laurel (Prunus laurecerasus) is prone to cankers and the main way they catch them is through wounds that get infected mainly during late winter and early spring, but potentially during any wet weather. The RHS recommend pruning during the summer in dry weather.
benjilloyd
Original Author
21 years ago
Cheers! You just told me what I wanted to hear :-)

It seems like the Laurel (and it is the Cherry that we have, although I'm sure that's obviously somehow) was the right choice. Fast growing, shad, sun, any soil. All true. Except for some exceptions.

But brilliant, I am really pleased. I must admit I am getting quite obsessed cutting it, turn your back and it's grown!

So, what on earth are cankers?
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Do you have pear trees or those pink weeping cherries? Those are blooming here now, too. And other orchard trees like peaches and apricots. I usually just prune out the discolored canes from winter, back until the canes are nice and green. Then prune out any canes that will cross too closely to another one (unless it's a small plant that needs all the canes and leaves it can get). You can take some height off of most modern roses if you like (or leave them tall), but if the rose only blooms once a year wait until after it blooms to do that. Some of the good canes may not actually be a great green. I have some that get kind of purple in the winter. That's fine. And some old canes can look kind of dead when they are just woody, so look for live buds pushing leaves if it's a particularly woody rose bush. Then you do have to cut off canes that have bad, cankered spots in them. You have to cut those off below the cankered area. Those are usually pretty obvious, I think (or I don't worry about the small ones). I hate to have to cut off long canes for that, but if you have a big bad spot on any cane, the cane will have to come off sometime. The canker can spread/creep down and up the cane, so go on and take care of that before the rose wastes all kinds of energy on the cane. Sterilize your pruners between cuts when dealing with canker.
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beany's out of league on this one ... dont remove more than 1/3 of the canopy ... in the pic.. at least everything below the top of the black stuff or water.. whatever that is ... and maybe one or two more ... then let it go .. and maybe take another one or two in fall .. i am not one much to having a best time of year for pruning... except maybe red oak .... its usually done when it pisses me off.. or when i walk by with the saw .... i might look the rest of the way up 8 feet or so.. and snip out a few of the tiny branches .. kinda thinning up to my goal... without waiting until i get that high ... bet this thing puts on 3 feet of growth this year... cant think you can go wrong... short of pruning it up 11 feet ... lol just look at the structure as a whole... take the bottom ones.. and think about your pruning for the next 3 years.. and see if any whim hits you .. ken
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garden_nerd
21 years ago
Exactly what I was wondering. My unstoppable laurel went a bit funny last year - manky leaf problem. Would that be a result of canker?
shrubs_n_bulbs
21 years ago
Manky leaf problems are probably just powdery mildew. That causes distorted leaves but is not usually serious. The presence of white fuzz under the leaves indicates mildew. Bacterial cankers can also distort the leaves but will not have white fuzz because they aren't fungal. The leaves will develop lesions that eventually drop out to leave holes. If it infects the branches it can cause dieback. Infected branches should be removed.
peater
18 years ago
I have a laural hedge approaching 18-20ft high. Can i reduce the height to about 10ft without damaging the hedge.i know it will look unsightly for a while but will it thicken up again
shrubs_n_bulbs
18 years ago
If it is the common English or Cherry Laurel, which it sounds like at that size, then you could cut it to ground level and not slow it down much ;)
FRANK McFETRIDGE
15 years ago
I HAVE A 6FT LAURAL HEDGE AROUND THE SIDE GARDEN BUT SINCE THE LAST COLC SPELL AT CHRISTMAS ALL HAS GONE BROWN NO LEAVES...NO NEW GROTH AS YET CAN YO ADVISE ME. THANKS.
Wobbert
15 years ago
We had a hard winter and the deer attacked my Laurel hedge. They devoured all the leaves off the lower branches and there are only leaves on the top where they were unable to reach. I don't know what to do to help leaves grow again on the lower branches. I was told by someone to cut them all the way down to the base and start over. Spring has just sprung in my area and they look awful. I planted them to screen from our neighbors but they are just plain ugly and I feel horrible because it took 6 years and they looked so good last summer. Help

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When should I prune my Laurel hedge?

Comments (8)

shrubs_n_bulbs

benjilloyd
Original Author

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When should I prune my Laurel hedge?

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shrubs_n_bulbs

benjilloydOriginal Author

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benjilloyd
Original Author