Identifying plants & how to look after them

Kildare

Hi! Hoping someone can help me identify two plants and suggest how best to look after them 

I have a large every green hedge which has large thorns. Had it cut back last August and it’s developed a bald spot! Do we think this will grow back and when is best to trim this hedge. It grows quickly and I need to keep it off the path. 

Secondly I can’t work out which group of clematis I have. It’s starting to bud now on last years growth, usually flowers around May. How hard can I cut this back and when as it’s become very knotted and woody? Thank you!!!

Cloth_of_Gold

If no one can identify them (although I expect someone will) there are apps you can download to your mobile. You take a picture and then it identifies the plant. PlantSnap is one, but I'm sure there are others. They aren't 100% reliable but if you don't get any IDs on here you could try it.

Dustyevsky

Top one Clematis montana. Bottom one Elaeagnus ebbingeii, possibly 'Gilt Edge' but they are all much of a muchness.

 You can cut the clematis as much as you like. Similarly, the Elaeagnus will have taken the hard pruning, no problem.

ArbitraryRandom

With the hedge, it was cut back toward the end of the growing season, and the new growing season is really only just getting started - give it a little while and you should see it filling in in the next month or two  

I'd wait to give it another good cut back after it's finished flowering (august/september), then try to keep it just trimmed/tidy each year. 

Sarahspangles

With the clematis, let it do its thing this Spring, and then take it back to 15 to 30 cm. It will appreciate water and feed through to mid-Summer. Given its flopping off its current supports, now would be a good time to decide if you want to give it more space to climb.

With the Eleagnus hedge, your sparse patch may not fill if there’s no direct light getting in to the area you would like to sprout. It’s one of the reasons it’s recommended to ‘batter’ a hedge by tapering it towards the top. 

Kildare

Sarahspangles said:

With the clematis, let it do its thing this Spring, and then take it back to 15 to 30 cm. It will appreciate water and feed through to mid-Summer. Given its flopping off its current supports, now would be a good time to decide if you want to give it more space to climb.

With the Eleagnus hedge, your sparse patch may not fill if there’s no direct light getting in to the area you would like to sprout. It’s one of the reasons it’s recommended to ‘batter’ a hedge by tapering it towards the top. 

Thanks! With the hedge it curves around the house so that section is due south and lots of sun whilst part of it is west facing. Hopefully it should grow back in. It’s so fast growing and I have to keep it back off the public path, it’s still very bushy but I don’t want to cut it so hard that it’s either bald or it doesn’t recover!

Sarahspangles

Kildare

Thanks! With the hedge it curves around the house so that section is due south and lots of sun whilst part of it is west facing. Hopefully it should grow back in. It’s so fast growing and I have to keep it back off the public path, it’s still very bushy but I don’t want to cut it so hard that it’s either bald or it doesn’t recover!

Eleagnus doesn’t bounce back from a hard prune as readily as something like privet, so see how it goes. But generally it’s a good idea to taper hedges, or they tend to bush out at the top and the lower parts then die back.  

twopenny

Have you given the Eleagnus a feed after cutting?

Totally agree, it's ageing so takes longer to recover but cutting it narrower at the top will help.

Kildare

twopenny said:

Have you given the Eleagnus a feed after cutting?

Totally agree, it's ageing so takes longer to recover but cutting it narrower at the top will help.

No - is there a feed you would recommend? Not very green fingered but trying to do better!

twopenny

Blood fish and bone (that sounds awful) but it's been standard general fertilizer for shrubs for centuries.
Or Growmore which is general.
It's not usual with plants that age but it's roots will be very crowded by now with so many big ones together and the soil probably poor. 
It's worth a try. Cheaper and easier than a new plant.
Do it now while the soil is still damp and it will get rained in.

A quick fix for plants is Phostrogen which you put with water and can feed leaves directly. Great for pots in summer and better than miracle grow and such newer branded goods.

There isn't a lot to remember for gardening. Same as us. Feed, water, not too much sun, not cold shade.
Good luck 

Farway

twopenny said:

Blood fish and bone (that sounds awful) but it's been standard general fertilizer for shrubs for centuries.

If you decide on this, do shop around, the price varies wildly. I found Home Bargains had offers far cheaper, but things change. Just don't go to garden centre & buy the first one you find