Question

I have clay soil in my back garden (currently swamped) and would like a tall hedging along the bottom at the back. I really like laurel but unsure if it would do well in clay soil. Does anybody have laurel in clay soil in their garden and is it ok and growing well please?  

Answer 1

I have heavy clay and Laurel grows really well; I manage a garden that is on sand, and it does well there too! Seems to grow anywhere tbh

Comments

@kuhn42641 Thanks. I didn't want to spend if it wouldn't do well.  

---

@tin3 you can buy bare-root Laurel and plant until March; I always buy from ashridge nurseries, but there are loads of suppliers online. Bare root will be aprox. one-third of the cost of containerised plants.  

---

@kuhn42641 Brilliant. Thank you. Total novice regarding gardening and appreciate your advise.  

---

@kuhn42641 what does bare root mean?  

---

@popularity a bay tree (sweet bay) is also a Laurel, yes!  

---

@rain34493 during winter when trees and shrubs are dormant it is possible to buy and plant them ‘bare root’ - these will be delivered direct from growers without a pot or soil- it’s a very cost effective way to buy hedging, trees, shrubs and roses  

Answer 2

You can grow laurel anywhere really like all soil types and shade or full sun. You can cut them down and they still come back. Being a self-employed gardener I've Trimmed, reduced and removed loads of laurels and all different kinds of hedges laurel has to be one of the best hedges to have apart from beach and privet. Conifer has alot of issues but nice if looked after and cut atleast once a year. Laurels grown around 2ft a year same with beach and privet. Conifer is around 1ft a year.  

Comments

@cuirbouilli Super. Thank you. Definitely going with Laurel from comments.  

---

@tin3 Make sure and trim it back to the old growth once established if your wanting it to look straight and sharp. Just a little inside tip on it. I'd recommend cherry laurel or portuguese laurel both really nice.  

---

@cuirbouilli Ok, you know what you are talking about. Thanks again - from a complete novice  

---

@tin3 Not a problem. Anything else just ask

Answer 3

I have heavy clay in shade and i'm in the north east of scotland and Laurel loves it. If you plant it and kill it then channel 4 or 5 will make a documentary about it. its practically impossible to.  

Answer 4

Absolutely. Had it. Removed it. Keeps trying to come back.  

Answer 5

Can I just ask . I have laurel planted a few years and most of it is a kind of yellow what should I do to bring it back to green please

Comments

@treed Have you got a picture of it?  

---

@cuirbouilli No I can take one in the morning

---

@treed Not a problem

---

Mine went yellow, farmers tip, use grass cuttings as a mulch but don't layer on thick, hedge is lacking Nitrogen.  

Answer 6

They love clay mine are at the bottom of the garden and get hammered with all the rain, they look great  

Answer 7

Google saysAll parts of the cherry laurel, including leaves, bark fruit and stems, are toxic to humans. This plant produces hydrocyanic acid, or prussic acid, which can cause serious illness or death within hours of ingestion. . Symptoms of cherry laurel poisoning include difficulty breathing, convulsions and staggering. So, I say - don't let children eat even a little, and don't burn cuttings

Comments

Most plants are. This wasn't the question.  

---

@penholder6 Only toxic if you eat it which you shouldn't be doing anyway. You can also burn the cuttings too makes no difference. Don't believe everything you read on Google. Ask a gardener like me first before consulting Google.  

---

@penholder6 I have loads of it in my woodland garden lived here 20 years never had a problem. Have also burnt it with no problems.  

---

It gives off cyanide gas when burned, which I did not get from google, but from a doctor. Please yourself, I have told you, feel free to do as you wish.  

Answer 8

I might be wrong as I dont know my plants but I have clay soil an think this is a Laurel

Answer 9

And these

Comments

@rockhampton7 Yes the big one is a laurel

---

@cuirbouilli Thank you 6 years gardening and still no idea i cultivate weeds and pull up what would be flowers lol

---

@rockhampton7 I'm in my 3rd year being a self-employed gardener. If it looks like it's not supposed to be there it gets removed. Main one I go by if it's brown cut it down. Good thing is I get to do what I want in customers gardens if I want to take something out then I do.  

---

@cuirbouilli Done all my own gardening and love making the Laurel round but got to high for me this year as been ill for 6 month and cannot get anyone to cut it gardeners here just dont turn up unless it is for easy stuff like mowing lawns lol

---

@rockhampton7 I reduce laurels all the time same with any other Shrub ar hedge.  

---

One I done for one of my fortnightly customers for free. I was sick of the cuttings ending up over the wall into the neighbours garden when I Trimmed it so cut took 5ft off the top. Makes it easier for me to trim and takes less time now

Answer 10

Laurel thrives in my clay garden, and in my last home.  

Answer 11

I have lay soil and my laurel thrives

Answer 12

Ive got clay soil and i planted firethorn ( pyracantha) it took 4 years to grow to 6 foot. I cut it 2x a year. birds depending

Answer 13

Yes it's tough as old boots