Plant balance: What would happen to Leighton green if only able to prune one side?

Discussion in 'Planting, growing, nurturing Plants' started by beginnergardener, Apr 9, 2014.

  1. beginnergardener

    beginnergardener Junior Member

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    I am interested in the issue of plant balance (symmetry), if Leighton greens were planted to be pruned into a hedge in a spot where only one side could be reached, would pruning one side and the top only result in the other side staying similar for the plant to balance itself, or not?
     
  2. andrew curr

    andrew curr Moderator

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    I dont think you will hurt it much!
     
  3. beginnergardener

    beginnergardener Junior Member

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    Do you know if planting them 0.5 - 0.7 metres apart (instead of the recommended 1m - 1.5m) will limit their size in a residential setting without pruning.

    I want to make a formal hedge or semi formal but it is on the top of a retaining wall and on the edge of the block and I might be unable to prune one side of the hedge, but it shouldn't be a problem to prune this side and the top, so what would happen if I could prune one side and the top only?
     
  4. andrew curr

    andrew curr Moderator

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    where do ya live!
    surely we can chose ahedge species whith more functions
    whats on the other side?
     
  5. pebble

    pebble Junior Member

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    I'm not quite sure what you are asking. I don't know what a leighton green is, but most plants if you prune them on one side and the top, will just grow out the other side. They won't grow symmetrically to match the pruning.
     
  6. beginnergardener

    beginnergardener Junior Member

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    Ok thanks, I might be able to prune with long handled pruners.
     
  7. beginnergardener

    beginnergardener Junior Member

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    Ok does anyone know with respect to any conifer hedge if you plant them with less spacing than recommended what would be the result? Say half spacing for example.
     
  8. mischief

    mischief Senior Member

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    Maybe you could work out how high you want the hedge to grow and find a small shrub type plant that only grows around about that height. That way, you will only be trimming the odd bit to look tidy and may even not have to do that. Why choose hard work.
    What sort of thing so you like and want to look at?
    I have put off planting a hedge above my rock wall because I didnt think I would be able to trim it easily and of course it would just grow out the unpruned side and get thicker and thicker til you cant reach to cut.
     
  9. andrew curr

    andrew curr Moderator

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    I think it is a hybrid cupressis high calorific value!
     
  10. beginnergardener

    beginnergardener Junior Member

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    Well actually I already planted it, but maybe I should have planted lilly pilly.

    I don't mind the challenge of pruning but I am only worried that one side will be inaccessible and grow over the neighbors house because I can't prune it.

    In the old place I lived I planted a native woolly bush thinking it would create a nice screen but in 6 years one plant had grown about 30cms and the other one was the same size as when I planted it. So this time I want super fast growing, hence the Leylandii.
     
  11. andrew curr

    andrew curr Moderator

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    THE Problem is the solution!
     
  12. songbird

    songbird Senior Member

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    this is going to vary so much by species, soil, light, etc. that it would be hard to predict. we have a mixed border in places of cedar and other conifers and while it is holding up in places in other places the trees have gotten tall enough that they are going bare at the bottom and are not going to be a very good barrier for much longer. we've planted cedar trees along side to fill in, but those may be eaten by rabbit or deer at times, so they are not as reliable as other conifers.

    they all grow together as conditions allow. some stay small until their neighbor dies off.
     
  13. beginnergardener

    beginnergardener Junior Member

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    Ok thanks, I was thinking about planting more half way in between the existing ones, but I think I probably better not to avoid low bareness.
     

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