Leggy privet

jkgray

I have about 100 feet of privet between my garden and next door. It is about 8 foot high but is very leggy.

I know one option is to cut it right down and it will then (hopefully) re-grow more bushy, however I do not want the loss of privacy this would involve.

Would a viable alternative be to plant smaller privet bushes immediately in front of the most leggy areas and this is will intertwine over the years?

Or perhaps a different hedgin plant like holly?

suggestions welcomed.

Thanks.

stumpycat

You can hack it back to make it bushy, but leave some long-ish branches to cover the bare bits. Find leggy, bendy branches, cut off the tip and pull them horizontally - then secure onto another branch with a cable tie. By cutting off the tip, side shoots will grow upwards and fill in thin bits.

gardenroute

IMHO it might be best to reduce it by a third or half and this should encourage more growth lower down. Cuttng it down to the ground is not necessary and the hedge will take longer to recover.
I would also thnk about why the hedge has gone bare at the base, maybe by reducing the height of the hedge or keepng the sides of the hedge straight, more light could reach the base. If the shade is caused by something else it may always be bare. Privet will grow sparsely in the shade.
You could plant something in front, but remember you will want to have access to the top of the hedge so you can cut it.

emiff6

You can lay a privet hedge in the same way as hawthorn or other field hedging. That will reduce the height and thicken it up, while not lowering it so far that you lose all privacy.

jkgray

emiff6 wrote: »

You can lay a privet hedge in the same way as hawthorn or other field hedging. That will reduce the height and thicken it up, while not lowering it so far that you lose all privacy.

I have looked on the net and they all seem to talk of laying as a specialist activity, for my purposes is it as simple as finding some branches that can be half cut through and then bent so they are horizontal rather than vertical? Thanks.

stumpycat

jkgray wrote: »

I have looked on the net and they all seem to talk of laying as a specialist activity, for my purposes is it as simple as finding some branches that can be half cut through and then bent so they are horizontal rather than vertical? Thanks.

Yes - proper hedgelaying involves splitting the trunk almost to the ground then bending the whole plant over - it looks like a massacre. 'Hedgelaying lite' is I think what would be more suitable. I really do recommend the cable ties as they stop branches bouncing back & whacking you - and long sleeves as it's scratchy work.

gardenroute

Hedge-laying is a slow job - 10-12m a day is good going, and it's not that easy. You will also end up with a lot of dead wood in the hedge.
Its generally done to keep a boundary stock-proof.
You need to think about why its gone bare at the base in the first place. Otherwise this will keep happening. A photo always helps.

splodger_seedswapper

please please please - be mindful of nesting birds at this time of year if anybody is thinking of drastically cutting back established hedges

emiff6

gardenroute wrote: »

Hedge-laying is a slow job - 10-12m a day is good going, and it's not that easy. You will also end up with a lot of dead wood in the hedge.

Not if it's done properly - every branch laid will continue to grow and send shoots upwards along its length. And it really is not that hard, if you can handle a saw.

gardenroute

I've done it a few times myself on short stretches of hedge and seen it done by professional layers. They made stakes and weaved cut stems along it to hold it all in place.
TBH I would still reduce the some of the height and sides before laying it anyway.
I also can't see privet working as well as the usual hedge laying plants like hazel and hawthorn.