Garden Q&A: What should I feed my laurel hedge in autumn?

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

A mulch of organic material will help a hedge, writes Peter Dowdall. File pictures

I planted a new laurel hedge earlier this year. Should I feed it now and if so, what should I feed it with?

Answer

No, I wouldn’t suggest feeding it with any liquid feed or similar as this will promote new growth. You don’t want to do that at this time of year as it will be tender and vulnerable to frost damage during the winter as temperatures drop.

It would be far better to mulch the soil which will improve the structure and increase the nutrient value of what the hedge is growing in. 

A mulch with any organic material will help. Provided it is well-rotted, a farmyard manure or chicken manure applied around the base of the hedge will really improve the health of the hedge. 

Mushroom compost, homemade compost or a mulch of bark or wood chippings will also help. 

They won't only help to improve the soil but also, by adding a few inches of a mulch, you will help to protect the roots from frozen soil during particularly cold periods. It's a bit like putting a duvet over the root systems for the winter.

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