Garden Q&A: Should I treat soil before planting a new hedge?

Whether you're a gardening beginner or expert, Irish Examiner columnist Peter Dowdall has the answer to your questions 

I have a Portuguese laurel hedge and it is suffering from a leaf blight and holes in the leaves. I have tried everything — I have cut it back, and have used copper sulphate and a fungicide on the hedge, but it never seems to improve. I have decided to remove it and want to know, how should I treat the soil before I plant something new?

ANSWER