Western Red Cedar

Hi,

I have recently moved into a house, where the old occupants were keen gardeners so I would like to keep the place as neat as possible. The first issue I have noticed is that, what I think are red cedars used as a screen at the back of the garden, have huge brown patches (see picture.) What do you think I should do about it? Any advice would be great. Thanks.

 

best as I know those two things are not compatible

The Western Red Cedar, particularly the Thuja plicata atrovirens cultivar (worth seeking out, as otherwise the plants may just be seed-grown and a bit "Heinz-57") makes a nice hedge. As far as I know it doesn't get the dead-patches disease

The "dead patches" disease is most commonly Cypress aphid which effects Chamaecyparis , so the hedge is probably Leylandii <spit> - which is a dreadful thing and a thug. Leylandii grows 3' a year, so people may well think "Great, I'll have a 6' hedge in two years" ... the trouble is it doesn't grow to 6' and stop, it carries on growing 3' a year and is a menace if not cut and clipped regularly. So on the upside Cypress aphid is doing you a favour, but on the downside you will almost certainly have to replace the hedge (probably only a few years until the whole thing is dead). That's not an inconsiderable job as Leylandii will have hefty stumps and roots, and will have drained every last bit of nutrient out of the soil, so "stumps out" and "reinvigorate soil", before you can replant, is a bit of a downer, and then also "wait a few years for new hedge to get up to size" too.

But, if any consolation, you can plant whatever you like as a replacement

 

Thanks so much for your reply. On closer inspection, it does look like Leylandii. Unfortunately, I live in a house that quite hard to get to the garden with any kind of tools and this looks like it's going to be a nightmare job :( I was just starting to fall in love with my garden too haha

 

Here's a recent post of what I did with mine ... yeah, ability to get decent tools onto the job would help

Problem garden

I reckon you would fall out of love with a Leylandii hedge real fast. So perhaps an "opportunity" ...

The Leyandii that the previous owners left me:



and what I have now:



Its going to be a Chess Set and not, as my kids tell me, "Daddy's collection of willies" ...