Thanks for the response Linda -

I would really like these hedges to have some order, to have no gaps, and to be nice even and green. #2 doesn't have to be tall, along with the hedge I already cut down it edges my garden on two sides so I'd like it to be 3-4 feet. The other one, #3 is REALLY the problem one and it's the one I'm currently ignoring....

Instead of cutting it all down at once do you think it will help to cut the woody branches with no growth selectively? Or am I just chickening out here.

Also, will the hedge stubs that were left after I cut #1 down grow into the little hedge balls that I see in people's yards? I imagine that they will grow fuzzy and green independently for a while before they get big enough to touch again and make one big wide hedge.

One final (desperate, maybe) thought - Should I just start over? I like the hedges and they go well in our yard with our house.

First of all, don't worry about the little "hedge balls" (wry grins). People have to work very consistently to make those strange things happen. I've never figured out why they would want to....

One question that matters: Are these hedges in a lot more shade than when they were first planted? Are there large trees casting heavy shade? If not, then the hedges can be recouped. If so, let me know.

(Wish I could stand there and take a look at the different hedges.... Here's the best I can do to explain the dynamics.)

When you cut the aboveground parts back, the roots put out new aboveground shoots, as many as they can manage. Each shoot will try to grow "straight up" as fast as possible. When the shoots get to be about half the height you want the hedge to be, cut off the growing end, above a set of leaves. This will get that shoot to put out branches all along the stem. It will bush out, and continue to add more height as well.

When it comes to the old woody parts of the hedge, it can be a balancing act. You need to leave *some* aboveground parts to feed the roots, so they can put out the new productive shoots. But you need to get the non-productive stuff out. If the old woody thick stems have younger sprouts coming up from the ground around them, then take a deep breath, and cut the old-thicks to the ground.

If that part of the hedge is mostly old-woody, without much in the way of other younger shoots.... Gets trickier. If that's the situation, let me know.

"Starting over" is not a crazy thing, but it probably would take at least as long to get something like decent hedges back. And they would not be your dad's hedges...

I too have old privets, about 18' tall, that run the width of my yard (150 feet) and provide privacy from the homes behind us. Over the last several years, they have become progressively worse and worse with many many dead clusters throughout. I have unspecified vinery climbing which i try to get at the base, cut and kill, and remove from the hedges. I cut a small section out about 5 years ago and planted a couple new ones, that never really gained height. The entire thing is troubling to me, as they are far too significant in size for me to remove, nor do I want to if they can recover. Do I remove the dead bunches to encourage growth. Do I take height off of them. Shoud I be trimming the front surface of these so they are not hanging heavily from the upper branches. Do they need food, water, a clean ground beneath them? I realize this is a bunch of questions, but I am desperate to save these. ALSO, the temps are in the 90's now in August 2012, in New Jersey, so I imagine this is a fall/spring project? Thank you for all who have knowledge with this.
Wayne

Il

Nice

I'm wondering how your hedges did? And Wayne in NJ, did you come up with any answers? my privet is now more dead than alive (except for one vigorous section) and i'm coddling it through the summer. I plan to shear it down in March. Am wondering if I should do any spot cutting mid-summer? Any other suggestions. I have been spraying oil for spider mites but think weather was the culprit. - too much rain and flash freezes and then too dry in cycles here in DC.