Hedge cutting - defining the framework

Wednesday 9th Jan
Weather: Around 9°C. Misty and wet.

I sampled doing some hedge-cutting today - the yew backbone structures of Dixter - the action is akin to that of combing or giving the hedge a haircut. The aim is to achieve a certain tightness of the surfaces and structure, light green areas indicated new growth, offset by the darker older growth behind it. This helped give an indication of where one could cut and how much. One had to be careful that the top of the hedge didn't shadow the bottom of the hedge too much, otherwise this would result in die back at the base. Any prudent upright twigs that stood out needed to be thinned, or they would turn into bulges. I make an initial rough cut to get a better jist of the shape and then I set about refining the cut. The key is to keep the trimmer as straight as possible especially the tip, so that it does not go into the hedge too much. After, I would rake it over to brush off any loose bits and helping to raise any bits that I might have missed.

The hothouse looked well - some of Impatiens tinctoria cuttings losing their leaves but still good growth. Plants at the back of heat bench wetter than the front. Getting to know the idiosyncrasies. More confident in watering the cutting with more foliage as I have observed that they can handle it and seemed to want to the watering. Tentative still with other things like Begonia luxurians and Helichrysum. Weather a bit changeable so opened windows accordingly.

Cool house - I have made looking after the greenhouses part of my project now. Starting to go through the plants one by one, clearing them and looking for anymore vine weevil that I had detected earlier.