Hi folks , just wondering does anyone know of a good website or you tube clips etc. that would show how to take Laurel hedge cuttings. I have a laurel hedge that needs a hard cutting back but I want to take cuttings as I need about another 350 plants too finish planting around our boundary. I would like to plant them directly in the ground if possible to reduce the cost of pots and I have heard that vine weevil have a liking for the roots in pots but I am not sure how true this is.
Thanks,
Gerry
laurel hedge cuttings
Moderators: KG Steve, Chantal, Tigger, peter
Hi Gerry,
Welcome to the forum.
Laurel cuttings are hardwood cuttings taken in November and December and at no other time.
The cuttings can be placed directly into the final growing position.
I have my doubts that you will get a 100% strike so there may well be the odd gap or two but cuttings taken in successive years will soon give you the cover you require.
Any other advice you may require please PM me.
Sincerely,
JB.
Welcome to the forum.
Laurel cuttings are hardwood cuttings taken in November and December and at no other time.
The cuttings can be placed directly into the final growing position.
I have my doubts that you will get a 100% strike so there may well be the odd gap or two but cuttings taken in successive years will soon give you the cover you require.
Any other advice you may require please PM me.
Sincerely,
JB.
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gerryfeery1
- KG Regular
- Posts: 3
- Joined: Mon Aug 24, 2015 9:02 pm
Hi JB Thank you very much for your advise. My plan is to plant them in spare ground I have and possibly do 500 or so of them. We can get some hard frosts in the midlands in Ireland but I assume this won't be an issue. What would you recommend for a planting spacing for the cuttings
Hi Gerry,
It would probably be an advantage to use the plunge bed method(i).
Take the cuttings between leaf nodes and at your bench use an extremely sharp knife to make the final cut just below a leaf node with leaf removed and leave no ragged edges. Dampen the first inch with water and shake off water until just damp then plunge into hormone rooting powder and knock off the excess powder. Reduce all leaves by approx two thirds, tie into bundles of around twenty and put them into the plunge bed.
(i) The plunge bed is used to store plants or cuttings that can be easily
removed without damage. It is made of a wooden edging of around 8" high filled with multipurpose compost. Cuttings stored in this fashion will callus over during the winter months and the callus will form what eventually will be the root plate. This means that in late March or early April you can lift them and easily see if they have callused over and can be then planted out where you need them to grow or in your prepared bed. If the plants have not withered in any way and they have not callused over replant in the plunge bed and leave another month or so. At the end of that period if no movement has started to callus you must consider whether they are going to be viable.
The plunge bed should be protected either in a cold greenhouse, tall coldframe or a temporary polythene cloche. The cuttings need the minimum of watering but never allowed to fully dry out and over watering is a complete no no!
I would seriously consider planting out into final growing position which will save you many hours of work and certainly less strain on the plant.
Hope this has given you a little more understanding.
If you are not sure of anything I am always here to help and it doesn't matter how many times.
Sincerely,
JB.
It would probably be an advantage to use the plunge bed method(i).
Take the cuttings between leaf nodes and at your bench use an extremely sharp knife to make the final cut just below a leaf node with leaf removed and leave no ragged edges. Dampen the first inch with water and shake off water until just damp then plunge into hormone rooting powder and knock off the excess powder. Reduce all leaves by approx two thirds, tie into bundles of around twenty and put them into the plunge bed.
(i) The plunge bed is used to store plants or cuttings that can be easily
removed without damage. It is made of a wooden edging of around 8" high filled with multipurpose compost. Cuttings stored in this fashion will callus over during the winter months and the callus will form what eventually will be the root plate. This means that in late March or early April you can lift them and easily see if they have callused over and can be then planted out where you need them to grow or in your prepared bed. If the plants have not withered in any way and they have not callused over replant in the plunge bed and leave another month or so. At the end of that period if no movement has started to callus you must consider whether they are going to be viable.
The plunge bed should be protected either in a cold greenhouse, tall coldframe or a temporary polythene cloche. The cuttings need the minimum of watering but never allowed to fully dry out and over watering is a complete no no!
I would seriously consider planting out into final growing position which will save you many hours of work and certainly less strain on the plant.
Hope this has given you a little more understanding.
If you are not sure of anything I am always here to help and it doesn't matter how many times.
Sincerely,
JB.
-
sally wright
- KG Regular
- Posts: 722
- Joined: Tue Nov 29, 2005 7:32 pm
- Location: Cambridge
Dear Gerry,
it may be as well to remember that laurels are part of the cherry family.
Many of the rose family (apples, cherries, roses, etc) have difficulty growing next to where another plant of the same species is already established.
If you do have to gap up a hedge it is wise to dig out a large hole and back fill with fresh soil from elsewhere. If it is a well established hedge (over 5 years) line the hole with cardboard or several layers of newspaper to keep the established roots from poisoning the new plants.
regards Sally Wright.
ps you will need to do this trick for hawthorn and blackthorn hedges as well.
it may be as well to remember that laurels are part of the cherry family.
Many of the rose family (apples, cherries, roses, etc) have difficulty growing next to where another plant of the same species is already established.
If you do have to gap up a hedge it is wise to dig out a large hole and back fill with fresh soil from elsewhere. If it is a well established hedge (over 5 years) line the hole with cardboard or several layers of newspaper to keep the established roots from poisoning the new plants.
regards Sally Wright.
ps you will need to do this trick for hawthorn and blackthorn hedges as well.