Laurel Hedging seeds.

Has anyone tried growing a laurel hedge from seed? I have an awful Leyandii hedge, and I'd like to remove it. I've been looking at Cherry Laurel (prunus laurocerasus) and wondered if someone had some insight on growing it. Ideally I'd be growing it on over a course of 3/5 years before I took out the Leyandii hedge, so it would have some good height too it when it's planted.

Is it possible to grow it well from seed in our climate? Or would you recommend getting plugs and doing it that way?

Is there another type of hedge I can grow on from seed? I'm not keen on privet, we have that at the bottom of the garden, and I find that has lovely growth on the top, but can be a bit sparten at base level.

Any advice or recommendations would be really appreciated. xx

 

Apologies if you know this already, but with a hedge you should always cut it slightly narrower at the top to allow the sunlight to get to the base, otherwise the leaves get sparse at the bottom.

 

Hi Joolz
You can grow from seed , but need to be planted Autumn and left out in the cold and up they come in the spring , I have collected seed from my own laurels and was surprised how easy they are to grow , where would you get the seed from ?

Spruce

 

Ive got a laurel,beech and leylandi hedging and the beech is my favourite of the 3 . Your post has made me think about trying the seed growing too as there is plenty of it going spare rather than the layering that takes too long.

 

No, I didn't know that. Thanks @merleworld

I have seen a site for Laurel seeds, but like a numpty, I've not bookmarked the site. Can I find it now.....

Found it! http://www.chilternseeds.co.uk/item_768_laurus_nobilis

Must admit, I'd not thought of beech, as I want an evergreen hedge, but I'd be really keen to know how you get on if you decide to have a go!

 

Well, I've taken the plunge, and have ordered a pack of Laurus nobilis seeds & a pack of Buxus sempervirens seeds.. They'd only got one pack of the Laurus left, so I'll have to keep an eye out on their website to see if they get more, as Ideally I'd like another 2 packs. It'll be quite exciting to see if I'm able to raise them!

 

There are quite a few seedlings growing at the base of my cherry laurel. If they are of any use to you, I could dig them up and post them to you ?
My cherry laurel has flowered recently too so there will be plenty of berries on it again in late summer/early autumn.