Commit to regular trimming from the very first year and never let growth get ahead of you — this is the single most important fact about growing this hedge successfully.
Care
Water well through the first two summers while establishing.
Adaptable, well-drained soil of most types.
Trim 2-3 times through the growing season from a young age to establish and hold the desired height and width — unlike yew, this genus will not reshoot from bare old wood, so never let it exceed the wanted size before its first cut.
A balanced feed in spring on poor soil, and that is genuinely all — this is already the fastest-growing hedging conifer in Britain, and feeding it means more clipping, not a better hedge.
Semi-ripe cuttings in early autumn root readily in a cold frame. Given how cheaply young plants are sold and how fast they grow, this is rarely worth the trouble.
Month by month
Months change with the climate: in southern Italy tomatoes go out two months earlier than in England.
- AprilFirst hedge trim of the season, keeping to the desired size from the outset. how ›
- JulySecond trim, mid-summer. how ›
- SeptemberThird trim if a very crisp finish is wanted before autumn. how ›
Months based on climate: UK. Your choice stays on this device.
- AprilFirst hedge trim of the season, keeping to the desired size from the outset. how ›
- JulySecond trim, mid-summer. how ›
- SeptemberThird trim if a very crisp finish is wanted before autumn. how ›
Months based on climate: Northern Italy. Your choice stays on this device.
Common problems
How to spot it. Permanent bald patches after cutting back too hard.
What to do. This genus will not reshoot from bare wood — the classic, largely irreversible mistake with this hedge; always cut within the green growth.
How to spot it. Browning, dying branches scattered through the hedge.
What to do. Remove and dispose of affected wood, disinfect tools between cuts.
How to spot it. In waterlogged soil.
What to do. Improve drainage before planting.
Questions
Leyland cypress: is it hardy?
H6: Hardy in the vast majority of UK gardens. It survives down to −20 °C.
Can it grow in a pot?
Can be grown as a screening hedge in large containers while young, though it is more reliable long-term in open ground.
Leyland cypress: when do you prune it?
Trim 2-3 times through the growing season from a young age to establish and hold the desired height and width — unlike yew, this genus will not reshoot from bare old wood, so never let it exceed the wanted size before its first cut. In the calendar for UK, pruning falls in April, July, September.
When do you feed it?
A balanced feed in spring on poor soil, and that is genuinely all — this is already the fastest-growing hedging conifer in Britain, and feeding it means more clipping, not a better hedge. Feeding months, UK: April.