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I have the plant red robin planted around 3 sides of my front garden to make a border, I planted it may 2015 and its doing well, however 2 of the sides face roughly south and so get a lot of southerly wind and a couple of them have been blown over a bit and are at an angle, they are still alive but can you tell me how to correct this, I assume they would need to be dug up and replanted, but when to do this ? While its winter I didn't want to disturb the roots in case it caused irreversible damage.



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Answers

 

Can't you just stake them? That would surely be the easiest. I wouldn't want to disturb them so soon.

26 Feb, 2016

 

Winter is the safest time for root disturbance while plants are still dormant. Not sure what you mean by "a bit". Whether you can stake them would depend on what sort of shape they are - if they have a tough main stem that would work but if they are small and flexible you'll have to loosen the ground and resettle them upright, trying not to break the roots.

You say you have planted these as a border - are they the variety called Little Red Robin which will make a low hedge? If they are fairly newly planted you could replant the two wonky ones safely now. If they are the ordinary variety they grow into large shrubs which will reach 5 metres high and across and you might want to rethink your border. The small ones grow to roughly one metre high and across but you can clip them. Apologies if you knew all this, just better safe than sorry!

26 Feb, 2016

 

I was thinking of Photinia Red Robin which, though the stems aren't very sturdy when young, can be staked if careful.

26 Feb, 2016

 

Its so difficult to know what's best without seeing them isn't it? . At least he has the option between both solutions now. What was mainly worrying me was that he might have put in the tall ones without realising there are both varieties, because he said it was for a border rather than a hedge.

26 Feb, 2016

 

If they've only been in a year, dig 'em up, carefully, now (the ground isn't frozen, so as long as its not waterlogged, I'd do it now) making sure you keep a good rootball, then replant so that they're upright, and stake them - if they're fully exposed to a strong prevailing wind from one side then they will likely tip over again, assuming you planted the crooked ones properly in the first place. I only wonder about that because its only a couple that are tipping, maybe they just weren't planted quite so well as the others. Firm down properly and water in thoroughly - and, NB, ensure the ground is damp before you attempt to dig any up.

And by the way, as the other answers hint, unless what you planted was Little Red Robin, yes, you have planted a hedge round three sides of your garden rather than a border. Left unpruned, those Photinias will become tree like over time, making 20-25feet - pruned, they will make a hedge - but perhaps that's what you intended anyway.

26 Feb, 2016

 

I can take pictures, is it possible to upload then here ?

29 Feb, 2016

 

I do intend to have them as a hedge, around 4 or 5ft high, they are a metre apart and want them to mesh together, tips as to when and where to prune for best horizontal growth would be appreciated, thanks to all for advice so far

29 Feb, 2016

 

When you ask a question there's a little box that says Upload Photo. you can either do it there or add them to your Photo file. If you let us know if you put them there anyone can have a look.

The RHS site has info on pruning, here is the link

https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=145

1 Mar, 2016

 

Pictures uploaded so you can see the problem

3 Mar, 2016

 

As its going to be a tallish hedge I don't think it would matter in a little while as they would probably send out shoots on the upper side in due course anyway, especially when you have clipped the leaders off to encourage bushy growth. You'll need to do this anyway to avoid bare stems at the base. Once the hedge is growing and clipped you probably wouldn't see the difference.

3 Mar, 2016

 

Thanks for that, my main concern was the council, they cut the grass on the other side of the hedge and didn't want it leaning so far over that they caught it with their mower ! Think I will straighten it up though as suggested, can I ask where to prune to encourage spread and not height, and at what time of year to do it ?

5 Mar, 2016

 

Have a read of this.
https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=145
For a hedge you can actually trim it three times a year. To keep it bushy you need to shorten the upward facing branches which will encourage it to shoot lower down.
I believe they will renovate from even a severe cut back when they are older. Just don't be in a hurry for it to get tall if you want it thick.

5 Mar, 2016

 

I did use the wrong term when I said "border", I just meant they are around the border of the garden, but yes I wanted them to form a hedge and would trim it so that it was still possible to see over it, so maybe about 5ft high, and they are all the tall variety and not small ones

8 Mar, 2016

 

Hope it works well for you. Trimming them several times a year will encourage more red leaves too.

8 Mar, 2016

How do I say thanks?

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