Bareroot Laurel

paulztag

Looking to plant a Laurel hedge around my house and wondering has anyone any recommendations on where to get them?

I need to cover 170feet, what spacing would you recommend between them?

Thanks,
Paul

tommycahir

where are you located? if its in the south east then try http://www.vanderwel.ie/ or http://www.hylands-nursery.com/index.html

I have used both of these for Laurel, Beech and Holly hedging over the last few years and found them to be great and very helpful.

leeomurchu

http://www.hedges.ie/bareroot-laurels-from-1-80-euro.html

These lads always have specials on

paulztag

Thanks for the reply's. I'll check them out. I'm based in the west but travel to Athlone a few times a week for work. Could travel to a nursery to pick plants up if prices were good enough.

Any recommendations on spacing between plants?

Thanks

leeomurchu

For a good thick hedge you're supposed to stagger them I know that much

http://www.hedges.ie/how.html

I know Van De V they look like a good set up but I think they're fairly pricey there's a place in Tipp is very good I can't think of the name off hand but will post details later.

Oldtree

could get it delivered from Future Forests, I have found their stock quality to be fine:

last years list from them, laurel about half way down:

http://www.futureforests.net/br_hedging.htm

paddy147

PJ Larkins (aka www.hedges.ie) in Roscommon and also Tully Nurseries in Ballyboughal,Dublin ( http://www.tullynurseries.ie/) is where my girlfriend gets in all her bare roots.

Next day delievery to Dublin from Roscommon.:)

Expect to pay around 20-25 euro for a bundle of 2.5-3 feet tall bare roots...(25 per bundle)....depending on where you buy from



About 3 bare roots per meter is the usual spacing,but some people opt for 4 per meter though.

paulztag

Thanks for the links and advise. P Larkin sounds like a good option as they would'nt be that far away from me.

rje66

paulztag wrote: »

Thanks for the links and advise. P Larkin sounds like a good option as they would'nt be that far away from me.

Kellys nurseries just outside horseleap would have a good supp of hedging. Stock starts to come in in early nov. Laurel comes rootballed not bareroot. Spacings dep on size of plants going in and how quickly you want it established and most of all how deep are your pockets!!!.

paulztag

Thanks.

Yes I'm currently trying to figure out the balance between my pocket and how quick I can get an established hedge

Oldtree

protect laurel with a windbreak mesh for a year or two.

rje66

Oldtree wrote: »

protect laurel with a windbreak mesh for a year or two.

And keep a foot wide strip grass free under hedge

paulztag

And keep a foot wide strip grass free under hedge

• Dig a trench about 2 foot wide all along the edge of the garden where I want the hedge
• Loosing up the soil at the bottom with spade to allow root to easily grow out
• Add in fertilizer to the soil at the bottom (fishbone or something similar)
• Mix soil that was taken out with compost
• Put in plant and fill in with compost/soil mix and firm plant in with heel
• Once all the plants are in and all the soil is filled back in I'm planning on covers over the top with loose decorative stones to keep the weeds down and keep it all tidy.
• Water well for the first few weeks.

Any flaws with the above approach? Thanks

I read somewhere about cutting the tips off the tops of the plants once they are planted. Is this advisable or should I wait until next year when they have started to grow?

leeomurchu

paulztag wrote: »

I read somewhere about cutting the tips off the tops of the plants once they are planted. Is this advisable or should I wait until next year when they have started to grow?

I think you're supposed to cut them back severely after you plant them 3ft back to 16 inches or so but I may be corrected on that.

Oldtree

paulztag wrote: »

• Dig a trench about 2 foot wide all along the edge of the garden where I want the hedge
• Loosing up the soil at the bottom with spade to allow root to easily grow out
• Add in fertilizer to the soil at the bottom (fishbone or something similar)
• Mix soil that was taken out with compost
• Put in plant and fill in with compost/soil mix and firm plant in with heel
• Once all the plants are in and all the soil is filled back in I'm planning on covers over the top with loose decorative stones to keep the weeds down and keep it all tidy.
• Water well for the first few weeks.

Any flaws with the above approach? Thanks

I read somewhere about cutting the tips off the tops of the plants once they are planted. Is this advisable or should I wait until next year when they have started to grow?

from a very recent thread about beech/hornbeam and at the risk of repeating myself in a very windy and getting shot for it herewith for you to ponder:

What I did/do for planting is the following.

I do not make a traditional planting hole with compost etc, as the plant must get used to its location, with obvious exceptions. As most soils have sufficient nutrients for trees I dont add fertiliser when planting. Fertiliser can promote extention growth that is more prone to injust and disease. If you dig a hole and destroy the structure and texture of the soil then adding compost is only going to make it more difficult for the soil to recover said structure and texture, making the plant more susseptable to windthrow.

I use an irish spade to cut a square into the ground as I want to retain as much of the structure and texture of the soil as possible, an integral part of soil. When planting my bareroot hedging I do a as small as possible individual holes

Nothing can repair the structure and texture of the soil other than weathering and worm action, a shown in studies this can take up to 15 years to repair after damage like poaching by animals.

I start with larger bareroot plants called 1 to 120's, bought in bundles of 25, these are about 1 meter tall and have a good root system.

I cut out a small square of sod, keeping that intact by levering out from the windward side so any damage to soil kept on this side, i.e. Leaver sod out from opposite side that you intend to plant, less damage to the soil immediatly around the roots..

Orientate hole of square cut sod pointing a corner into prevaling wind direction and plant on the opposite side as trees lay down more roots on windward side naturally.

Scoop out remaining soil, prune top. Prune roots to fit as necessary as the tree will grow more roots on the prevaling wind side,

I prune back about a third on the top of the plant. this allows for a good reserve in the root system to nourish the reduced top of the plant while settleing in and to premote the plants bushiness by removing the apical dominance.

Place tree in corner of cut out square away from prevaling wind direction, replace loose soil and then sod, heal in around stem.

This method keeps most of the texture and structure of the surrounding soil intact and as sod is intact there are no wind rock problems.

Slit planting is also viable and quicker but only better in softer ground.

If planting from pots it would be better to do small individual holes as then the structure and texture of the surrounding soil will be intact and give a better medium to root into for support.

paddy147

Sometimes a few pics can be rather helpfull......

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=77779465&postcount=9

My missus did the work and planting.

paddy147

Some mypex installed at the base of the bareroots and then overfilled with bark mulch.

Keeps weeds out,keeps the ground moist and prevents the soil from being dried out by the wind.

Also helps to keep frost at bay too.

Oldtree

rje66 wrote: »

And keep a foot wide strip grass free under hedge

I used grass clippings mulch for this up to 3 inches thick, but do not allow it to settle around the base of the trunk as it can ringbark/damage bark by heat from composting or smother breathing above ground bark.
I did this until the hedge got too thick and I had to find somthing else to do with the clippings.

Oldtree

paddy147 wrote: »

Some mypex installed at the base of the bareroots and then overfilled with bark mulch.

I hope that is the composted bark you are using as anything else like medium or large chip bark will just dry up and blow away.

Composted bark is much longer lasting and if you wet it after application then it will stick togeather and form a kind of mat.

paddy147

Oldtree wrote: »

I hope that is the composted bark you are using as anything else like medium or large chip bark will just dry up and blow away.

Composted bark is much longer lasting and if you wet it after application then it will stick togeather and form a kind of mat.

It doesnt blow away.Trust me.

Oldtree

paddy147 it does in the many gardens I've seen that landscapers have dressed the planting area with medium or large chip bark, and I've been in a lot of gardens to see this happen and don't repeat this mistake in my own garden nor advise my customers nor posters here to repeat it either. trust dosnt come into it just experience and best practice.

paddy147

Oldtree wrote: »

paddy147 it does in the many gardens I've seen that landscapers have dressed the planting area with medium or large chip bark, and I've been in a lot of gardens to see this happen and don't repeat this mistake in my own garden nor advise my customers nor posters here to repeat it either. trust dosnt come into it just experience and best practice.

My girlfriend runs through lots of things and various aspects (before,during and after) with her clients too.Shes not a horticulturalist for nothing and she didnt go to college and the Botanic Gardens to study it for 5 years for nothing either.Her clients (domestic and commercial) are very happy with her and her work and aftercare service too.

Oldtree

As are my clients paddy, I am not debating the quality of your lovely missus product nor her credentials, it is a different disapline to my own although I am a qualified hort too, but I have been gardening for a very long time, just on an aspect that can be improved, wouldnt the lovely missus then have even happier clients if a further improvement was brought to their attention.

have you tried composted bark and compared it preformante to chip bark? if not then I suggest you do before you get on your high horse again of staunchly defending an entrenched position. (big Kiss)

paddy147

Oldtree wrote: »

As are my clients paddy, I am not debating the quality of your lovely missus product nor her credentials, it is a different disapline to my own although I am a qualified hort too, but I have been gardening for a very long time, just on an aspect that can be improved, wouldnt the lovely missus then have even happier clients if a further improvement was brought to their attention.

have you tried composted bark and compared it preformante to chip bark? if not then I suggest you do before you get on your high horse again of staunchly defending an entrenched position. (big Kiss)

Eh My missus does learn and she know a hell of a lot too.As Ive allready said,her clients are very happy with her work,her experience her suggestions and her end results.



What are you going on about "high horse" for now???

I dont think you have any need or reason to start to go down this route now.

Im not into that and that type of posting.

For that very reason I will bid you a good day and bow out now.


reghards

Oldtree

so you havn't tried composted bark then?

paddy147

Oldtree wrote: »

so you havn't tried composted bark then?

Eh Im not a horticulturalist,a landscaper or a gardener.

I dont follow my missus around from job to job.

My missus is though,she does use it and other bark mulch in bulk from her suppliers.I do know that much.


I dont know what you are trying to get at here or do with this thread and the way its heading now with these posts,but Im not getting involved with this sort of carry on.

As I said before,I will bid you a good evening and hope you have a safe evening too.:)


Regards.

Oldtree

paddy147 wrote: »

Eh Im not a horticulturalist,a landscaper or a gardener.
I dont follow my missus around from job to job.

So on what basis do you dish out advice to posters here?

paddy147

Oldtree wrote: »

So on what basis do you dish out advice to posters here?

Eh well perhaps because Im a member of boards.ie and have a right to post,just like everyone else has a right to post.

I also pick up on various things I hear and listen from time to time to my girlfriend and other horticultural friends too,and what they say to me.




Sure you can ask anyone that question here then.

Why does anyone on a gardening forum post anything at all.

Why do you post here then???




PS-You are taking this thread off on a different coarse now,a coarse which Im not getting involved in,as I dont think its right.

Oh and thanks for quoting only a small piece of my thread too to suit you.Very nice of you.


Regards.

Oldtree

please, everyone is free to post here and welcomed, but you post advice and pictures as if you are an expert, which you clearly are not. gardening takes more than an internet search.

paddy147

Oldtree wrote: »

please, everyone is free to post here and welcomed, but you post advice and pictures as if you are an expert, which you clearly are not. gardening takes more than an internet search.

Ive never said I was a gardener or a professional either.Ive allways said that Im not a professional gardener,just merely an enthusiast



Pictures that I post are of our gardens,and pictures of shows gardens (Bloom 2010,2011,2012),wildlife,nature and stately homes and their gardens are pictures that "I personnaly take" not off the internet as you claim.

So I dont think you are right to make that "Internet" claim.




I really do not know why you are becomming so aggressive here???:eek:

RubyGirl

I like the picture's paddy puts up, got some great ideas from them tbh, and he also post's some good advice. Now back onto laurels because I need to plant some aswell.

paddy147

RubyGirl wrote: »

I like the picture's paddy puts up, got some great ideas from them tbh, and he also post's some good advice. Now back onto laurels because I need to plant some aswell.

I live to give.:D

BullBauld

Bareroot Laurel on sale at Mulvey's Garden Centre just outside Athlone. €1:60 each or 100 for €150.
Don't know how big they are, just saw the sign outside on way to work.

tommycahir

Oldtree wrote: »

I used grass clippings mulch for this up to 3 inches thick, but do not allow it to settle around the base of the trunk as it can ringbark/damage bark by heat from composting or smother breathing above ground bark.
I did this until the hedge got too thick and I had to find somthing else to do with the clippings.

Hi Oldtree, I am very interested in the use of grass clippings to keep weeds down, I had always thought that this was not advisable as they clippings would turn into mush (for want of better description). Are you using just the normal clippings from a lawnmower to control the weeds?

Oldtree

yes, it does turn to a bit of a mush but during the summer the top dries off to form a kind of cap which keeps it in place, but it was for under a hedge.

Squiggle

I've always found futureforests good to deal with. They are taking orders now for bare root hedging, available from the end of October /early November.

paulztag

Thanks for all the recommendations..

paddy147

Squiggle wrote: »

I've always found futureforests good to deal with. They are taking orders now for bare root hedging, available from the end of October /early November.

As are PJ Larkin and sons.:)

Next day delievery too.