Advice: 2-row wide Privet Hedges: Weeds

last year

last modified: last year

Single row hedges are fairly easy to keep free of weeds.

My double row hedges are a jungle that makes weeding and removing saplings impossible.

EDIT: EUREKA: Way to trim weeds at ground level is with a pole hedge trimmer. Adjust so trimmer is laying on ground, plunging in blindly will not damage stems, then carefully wide cut.

Also, ANY stem small enough that the trimmers can cut, SHOULD BE CUT (small stems and shoots should be removed at the base of the shrub.)

I'm thinking I need to remove or flush cut down one row unless there is a clever way to keep unwanted weeds, etc. from flourishing in the hedge.

Also, if removing one row, what are the chances anyone would want to dig them out and transplant for free? If the answer is "virtually no one" then I'll just cut them flush with the ground.

EDIT: I've added some pics.

Also talked to neighbor, he thought letting them grow wild getting big looked good and much better privacy. Maybe just play hand dealt. Top them to encourage widening. or just trim lightly to "even" them out without making them laser straight.

Featured Answer

floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK

last year

Can you post pictures? How far apart are the two rows? And I wonder why it was done like that? Usually nothing much will grow in or under a thick privet hedge. Is it gappy?

Ps Cutting privet flush with the ground won’t kill it.

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Comments (8)

Tiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
last year
Sounds like a job for a string trimmer. Which weeds are present?
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NHBabs z4b-5a NH
last year
Cut down the hedge, weed really well being sure to remove roots, and then add cardboard or a couple layers of newspaper topped by mulch. No much will kill privet, and the cut down plants will grow back.
mrcreosote
Original Author
last year
I do have 200' of them to do. Lots of work. Maybe spread job out over 3-5 years.
kitasei2
last year
I couldn’t face digging out my old privet hedge when i wanted to replace it with natives so i cut them flush to the ground, then carefully applied a few drops of brush killer to the fresh cuts. They have not grown back.
Tiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
last year
That would be necessary, Kitasei. Just cutting a privet to the ground will not kill it at all. We've tried that at my mom's house. They're bigger than they were before by now.
mrcreosote
Original Author
last year
EUREKA! Finally figured out to cut weeds down among all those stems: POLE HEDGE TRIMMER! Adjust the trimmer parallel to ground and cut as close to ground as possible (trimmer laying on ground mostly). Make exploratory plunge cut which will not damage stems, then widen. Repeat as necessary. Works like a charm.
mrcreosote
Original Author
last year
PRIVACY/THINNING: With Privacy the main issue, cutting down plants/stems in congested middle areas between the 2 irregular rows will thin the hedges making it easier to clean up weeds and mulch. There may be a Privacy Bonus: middle plants/stems that were cut back to ground level will sprout again and in doing so will create new growth in the middle of the hedge which should increase privacy. How long that new growth in the middle will last with reduced sunlight, however, is not clear.