What are the disadvantages of privet hedges?
Privet hedges are a dense shrub variety with bright green leaves. These are popular landscaping features for creating yard privacy. A major drawback of privet hedges is that they’re poisonous to humans and animals. Privet is a very fast-growing hedge – 30-60cm a year, particularly if you use a plant feed. This means that it’ll need pruning several times a year to keep it under control and looking its best.Because privet grows rapidly, a declining hedge could be cut to within a few inches of the ground and allowed to completely regenerate. If well irrigated and fertilized, one might expect 4-5 feet of growth in a single growing season.Overgrown Privet Hedge Pruning Tips One of the most important parts of privet pruning is to trim out any overgrown crossing branches, as well as removing dead or damaged branches that may result in the growth of the plant being hindered. These can be efficiently removed with gardening loppers.Grow privet in moist but well-drained soil in sun to shade. Keep plants well watered in the first two years and the area around the plants weed-free. Prune once or twice a year to maintain a traditional ‘hedge’ shape.
What is the lifespan of a privet hedge?
On average, a well-maintained privet hedge can live for 30 to 40 years or even longer. Proper care and maintenance play a significant role in the longevity of a privet hedge. Regular pruning, watering, and feeding help keep the hedge healthy and promote its overall lifespan. If the privet does become overgrown, you can also cut it back radically. Ideally, do this in early spring, because birds like to nest in the branches of the hedge during summer. Too late in the year, heavy pruning will weaken the plant before winter.Autumn to Late Winter is the season for taking hardwood cuttings, so although February is the last really good month for it, privet is in a group of plants that propagate so easily this way that you can stick them directly into the ground and forget about them almost anytime!To make a privet hedge thicker, regular pruning is necessary. By taking off some of the privet’s growth each year and ensuring that it gets plenty of water and hedge fertiliser, you can encourage new growth which will help thicken and form a denser hedge.Privet is tough as old boots and can definitely tolerate hard pruning. Ideally cut back one side of the hedge one year, then the other side one or two years later to retain the screening effect and give the plant the best chance of recovery.
What is a privet hedge?
In addition to being cultivated to create ornamental hedges and foliage, privet is also widely used in horticulture and flower arrangements. The oval leaf privet Ligustrum ovalifolium is used for hedges, while its flexible twigs are sometimes used as cords for lashing. While many gardeners consider privet to be fully evergreen, it’s actually considered ‘semi-evergreen’, which means it can lose leaves in harsh winters. The yellowing leaves tend to be older leaves and, once the hedge has shed them, new green leaves will follow in spring.Privet is a shrub that can be deciduous, semi-evergreen, or evergreen. Ligustrum is mainly grown for its quick-growing, dense, glossy foliage. Most varieties have showy blooms in late spring or early summer.If the privet does become overgrown, you can also cut it back radically. Ideally, do this in early spring, because birds like to nest in the branches of the hedge during summer. Too late in the year, heavy pruning will weaken the plant before winter.Wild privet is a shrub of hedgerows, woodlands and scrub, but is also a popular garden-hedge plant. It has white flowers in summer and matt-black berries in winter that are very poisonous.
What kills privet hedges naturally?
Honey Fungus. Honey fungus produces strands of mycelium which is a fungal disease that can kill privet hedges. Why a privet hedge is dying. Privet (Ligustrum ovalifolium) is highly susceptible to honey fungus, Armillaria mellea, and this is almost certainly the cause of death. There is no cure.Honey fungus produces strands of mycelium which is a fungal disease that can kill privet hedges. The most common symptom of honey fungus is white threads (known as mycelium) growing at the base of the hedge or in the roots.Privet (Ligustrum ovalifolium) is highly susceptible to honey fungus, Armillaria mellea, and this is almost certainly the cause of death. There is no cure. Remove the infected hedge as soon as you can, but don’t compost any material.The most common hedge killer is Honey Fungus (Armillaria). Honey Fungus spreads through the soil and feeds on roots. Privet hedges are especially susceptible to Honey Fungus. To lower the risk of infection, avoid damp soil conditions when watering and provide good drainage.
Is privet poisonous to dogs?
Privet. While Privet hedges are far less poisonous than Yew hedging, they can still be harmful. The berries are especially poisonous, and while birds can eat them with no consequences, dogs can get very sick from eating them. While privet is not typically poisonous to humans, contact with the plant’s berries, leaves, or bark can cause skin irritation or allergic reactions in some people. Ingesting parts of the plant, specifically the berries, can cause upset stomach, nausea, and in severe cases, even vomiting.Even though it’s widely used, it is a mildly poisonous plant and may not be the safest choice to use around children, pets, and livestock. The leaves and berries of Privet contain terpenoid glycosides, which can cause extreme irritation to the hands and mouth, and digestive distress.Privet needs at least 6 hours of full sun to maintain deep foliage color and produce flower buds. Well-draining soil is also necessary. Privet roots do not like to be in waterlogged soil at any time of the year. Privet will grow well in almost any texture of soil if the roots have room to grow deep.Privet is a hardy plant, and can withstand quite a bit of regular pruning. And, to keep its shape, you’ll need to keep on top of your hedge trimming. Also, bear in mind that this is a fast-growing plant — you might see around 30cm growth a year. Therefore, you should aim to prune your privet at least twice a year.Privet can be effectively controlled with foliar, cut stump, and basal bark herbicide treatments. Hack and squirt treatments can be used in some situations.