We have a large hedge that is around 100 years old. The old wooden fence that the hedge was growing on has rotted away and the hedge has lost its internal support. It is developing quite a lean. How do we straighten it and make it secure ? Any ideas please. The hedge has orange flowers and is a traditional hedge plant, not sure of its name.
mrfxit,
Dec 4, 3:24am
Cut the top down as far as you can 1st
Galv steel Warratah's rammed down the middle in between the root blocks. Make sure you ram them well down to the original fence height or they might get in the way of cutting the hedge. Then you could feed high tensile wire along the fence top (where it was) & tension it up from the ends. You will of course have to install new end strainer posts to tie the wire too.
.jillybeen.,
Dec 4, 4:11pm
Thanks for that. Sounds like a plan.
mrfxit,
Dec 4, 8:08pm
The hedge will of course take a bit of a beating installing the posts & wire but you can minimize the damage by taking your time feeding the wire through the hedge. Probably going to need at least 2 or 3 strands which can be done at the same time with a bit of thought.
Ramming the posts down once inside the hedge can be done with a timber block on top of the Warratah.
Gloves Gloves AND
Leather Gloves
Did I make that clear enough ?
trad,
Dec 4, 8:21pm
How tall and wide is this hedge? Any chance of photos?
trad,
Dec 4, 8:50pm
If acceptable, I would cut the hedge height down and trim width until it is straight and able to support itself (there will be some 'bare' areas with no leaves) and then let new growth 'fill it in'.
oh_hunnihunni,
Dec 4, 8:55pm
A hedge should be selectively replanted over its and our lifetimes. Might be the time to combine both approaches. It's probably well out of shape now anyway, so replanting would allow you to slowly correct that, letting the base widen and the top stay narrower to rely less on artificial supports.
.jillybeen.,
Jul 13, 3:04am
I will try to get some photos up. Thanks heaps Im sure this is not going to be easy.
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