Talk of The Villages Florida

Quote:

Originally Posted by daca55 (Post 2410730)

I have a patio Villa with hedge in front of a picket fence. I’ve owned this place for 14 years. This fall I noticed that my hedge had two big areas that were dead. I had my irrigation guy check to make sure it was getting enough water and he thought because of the growth over the years he should add another riser to make sure it is getting enough water. I don’t think the dead areas are going to come back so I am looking for recommendations for a landscaper who might be able to help or suggest what we can do with these two dead areas. Appreciate all landscaping recommendations for this relatively small job! Thanks!

Having a shrub hedge look good for 14 years is an accomplishment in central Florida. Shrubs don’t always live as long as trees around here. They have long growing seasons and can decline and start to die in as short as ten years. If your dead areas are small you could cut out the dead parts and maybe reduce the size of the rest of the shrub to increase air circulation. You could also fertilize the shrubs and see if they respond. Water is probably not a problem as after 14 years shrubs have roots that shoot out for many feet on all sides so they don’t need to have to have a sprinkler head right next to them and in fact excess sprinkler water is often more of a problem causing fungal diseases that result in dead spots within a shrub. Some shrubs like boxwood hedges can start to die from blights which result in many dead branches over time so the type of shrub is an important factor in diagnosing your issue. When my shrubs start to decline I usually dig them up and replace them but then I am a gardener and enjoy doing that. You could take some photos of your hedge, both closeup and distance photos, and go to a garden center or Florida Master Gardener clinic and ask for their input. It might be a small problem and something you can correct.