Leylandii Bush not Growing

I planted a leylandii hedge a couple of years ago and much of it is growing well, however there is one bush that is not growing very well at all. The top shoot seems to be diseased and shrivelled (see photo below). What's the best thing to do to encourage this bush to grow? I put a small amount of 20:10:10 granules at the bases of the bushes once a month.
Thanks,
Shaun.

 

I would'nt feed them at all as long as you have neutral to acid soil they should be fine. I have a 10ft high leylandi hedge made of 24 planted 21yrs ago and have never fed them. They prefer acid soil by the way.

 

Thanks TO, any idea what's happened to the top shoot? Also, would the bush be encouraged to grow upwards if I cut the top (diseased) shoot off?

 

Usually when you cut the top off the main shoot the tree will not grow any taller, you do that when it's reached the height you want it. Might have to get another one and start again, sorry.

 

That was what I feared which is why I didn�t want to cut that particular shoot. I had thought about tying up one of the shoots that sticks out near the top so that it points upwards. Maybe after a while that would then become the main vertical shoot which would allow the bush to grow taller.

 

Don't think that will work theres only one main shoot and thats the brown one! sorry.

 

Shaun, cut out the growing tip and one of the side shoots should naturally take over as leader. David.

 

Thanks, I cut out the top (diseased) shoot and a side shoot close to the top did take over as the leader. With all the rain this summer there was plenty of growth.

 

Hi Shaun Leylandii are really hardy as you will now know if you cut off any bits you don't like the look off they pretty much grow back stronger.

We had a huge hedge back at out old house as we wanted a quick fix for nosy neighbours and boy did that hedge grow, invest in some hedge clippers because you're gonna need them!
Helen.xxx.

 

hi shaun me and the hub took out 3 huge leylandii last year ( didnt know what i was planting at the time ) i hope your wanting HUGE trees, shaded all my garden. there thugs :( s0 if you have a small garden get rid, took us days to cut them down and get rid, not to mention the backache. :eek:

 

Shaun, a litle information about leylandii. They grow between 4ft and 5ft per year once established. The biggest conifer in Britain is a leylandii at in excess of 120ft. They leach water and nutrients out of the ground at a huge rate. If any part of the plant turns brown it will not green up again. It is the plant which causes the most arguments between neighbours in Britain.David.

 

If they take up so much water david, would they be good or can they grow in clay soil that gets waterlogged sometimes?

 

Newbie, as long as the ground is not continually wet they should be alright. If the ground tends to stay wet, then I would suggest a swamp cypress ( Taxodium ). David.

 

Thanks all for your very kind advise. We are using the leylandii to screen our garden from our neighbours who are 'Network Rail'. The railway embankment on the other side of our fence is extremely ugly, there are brambles growing into our garden and Network rail are extremely noisy neighbours. I'm not referring to the trains either, they're fine, its this dirty great big signalling substation that Network Rail built earlier this year under 'Permitted Development Rights' legislation (which means they were able to build it without planning permission). Apart from the fact that the signalling substation is downright ugly ( here's a few pictures http://homepage.ntlworld.com/shaun.fenton/miscellaneous/substation/ ), it also has an emergency backup generator which seems to be switching on most days now and that's what's causing the noise. Anyway, the council have now classified this substation as a 'statutory nuisance', have served a noise abatement order on Network Rail and are pushing them to get it removed. Let's see what happens, but hopefully you can understand now why we need the leylandii.