Laurels are not growing very well

I have recently planted some laurels and they not appear to be growing very well. I have been feeding them with Richard Jackson's flower power and it doesn't appear to be working. I read on a forum that Epsom salts help and have been feeding the laurels with this for two weeks, 1 feed every 7 days. There is a tree next door and they also have a pond so I'm assuming they are causing the problem. I really need these laurels to grow as my garden has no privacy! Please help.

 

Hi Tracy,Welcome to GC....

How recent did you plant the Laurels? I'd be tempted to sprinkle some Potash around the base of the plants and water in,others will be along shortly with maybe a better solution

 

Hi Tracy

Welcome , how big are they when you planted them , what ground preparation did you do before you planted them?

I would hold back on feeding them and just give them time to settle in any new hedge plant takes a while to settle in as they will be sending roots out first , just give a water once or twice a week if it hasnt rained , Laurels are normally tough but when young hate a cold wind turns the edges of the leaves brown , its only May so plenty of time for them to get going

 

I always mulch new plants with well rotted manure.
Find it gets them off to a good start. And is not potentially damaging to the roots, as some non-organic chemicals can be.

 

Careful you don't overfeed them or you'll do more harm than good. Just keep them watered and allow them time to establish.

 

Hi, just thought I would mention, that laurel unchecked is very invasive. We have had our trees cut down to 6feet after reaching 20 feet high and 10 foot wide. The roots are now shooting and it is very difficult to kill. As long as they are trimmed top and sides they do make a handsome hedge.


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Quite a number of hedge plants fit into that category - probably anything that will be "quick" providing a hedge - it carries on "being quick" so then needs a lot of maintenance to stop if getting out of hand. Leylandii takes the biscuit in that category

Laurel is, additionally, a wide hedge - which can be a problem in some places.

I too would like to hear the answers to questions raised earlier in order to better advise:

WHat soil preparation before planting
How big were/are the plants (height from ground level to tip-top of average plant)
Planting distance
Were they bare root plants, or in pots?
Is it an exposed situation?

Photo would probably help