Beech hedge damaging lawn

Our newly laid (Aug 2005) lawn is looking very sp**** now where beech hedge leaves have been lying over the winter. Have the leaves starved the grass of oxygen or have they poisoned it? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

Any quantity of leaves left on a lawn, will cause a problem - mainly though cutting off the light. Beech leaves can be quite slow to break down, so if there has been a leaf cover over the grass, lack of light is likely to be the problem.

I would suggest clear all the leaves, and give it a good drink and feed, and keep your fingers crossed that it recovers.

 

I just find it stranghe that the leaves have come off you beech tree, ours don't come off untill new growth appears which is sometime soon.

Anyway totaly agree with Fran, lichr starvation, you r leaves have acted as a mulch and prevented lawn growing - groan - yeas another job to do if you want to keep you lawn green, leaves make great compost though.

 

mostly beech leaves will come off trees quite readily - it's the regular pruning off hedges that stimulates some hormone or other to keep the leaves on - so if you prune your tree regularly, you're likely to keep the leaves, but not if you don't - if you take my meaning!!

 

Yes got ya dendrobium and that figures as we keep ours all trinm and ship shape - or rather my better hald does!

 

The beech hedge still has the majority of leaves but up here in the north of Scotland, the wind gets quite high frequently and some do come off. The majority won't come off until new growth appears so it'll be an endless battle against the leaves and the lawn!

 

Fraid so! Just think of all the good exercise it's giving you, tho!

 

Dig it out if you are not happy and plant something else - bet you don't like that suggestion!

I am a great believer of "ungardeneing" if it don't work don't fight it - unless you love it that is.

I took a well established beech hedge out about 5 years ago, my husband was very reluctant, but now he says why didn't we do it before. we did give it a LOT of thought though and it was a brave decision.

 

It would be less work (in the long run) if it was removed, but it looks more interesting than a wooden fence. At least it provides a nice place for birds to go and our cat to skulk in the branches eyeing them up!

 

nice avatar, Whirlimix!!

 

You don't have to replace it with wooden fence, just something evergreen - Lonicera, thuja loads of options.

Yes tulips are lovely.

 

Thanks dendrobium, it's from my own garden - any clue as to their I.D.? The closest I can get is tulip but I think its not right (I am a novice gardener).

 

just possibly http://plants.thompson-morgan.com/uk/en//product/9215/1/float

 

I have similar one called ??"pink lady" or "elegant lady", will compare notes when it flowers.

 

Going back to said lawn which initiated this thread, our neighbour is now replacing the fence between us and is tramping on our already very fragile balding lawn. We gave it a 'feed and weed' treatment at the weekend but have yet to give it its first cut of the season. Will it be better to wait until all fence building is finished (in 2 weeks) until we give the grass a cut?