How to thicken hedging plants?

Ddrago

 Moved into a house several years ago and have these plants on the side. The foliage is always thin. But it doesn't have a problem growing in height. I have tried keeping it short (3-4m) but it's still not growing the foliage. Am now thinking that there are too many that are too close and the next thing to do is take every second one out. What does the community think?

EricL

Hello @Ddrago 

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community. It's sensational to have you join us, and thanks for sharing your question about your foliage.

It looks like your shrubs are growing tall and leggy because they are competing heavily for light, root space and nutrients. In the photo, the plants are extremely close together and are leaning forward toward the light. This is a classic sign of overcrowding and shade competition. When several shrubs are planted only a small distance apart, each one tries to outgrow the others vertically, producing long bare trunks with foliage only near the top where sunlight is available. Even heavy pruning cannot fix this long term because the underlying problem is the struggle for resources.

Removing every second shrub is a very reasonable approach and is often the only way to restore shape and density. Once some are removed, the remaining plants will receive more direct light along their lower stems, which encourages back budding and the growth of fuller foliage. The change will not be instant, because woody plants do not quickly re-leaf lower bare branches, but over a season or two they will thicken noticeably if they have enough space and sun.

You can also cut the remaining shrubs a little lower after thinning them out, which may stimulate a fresh flush of growth further down the stems. Doing this after you have reduced competition gives the plants a better chance of responding positively. Improving the soil with compost and keeping moisture consistent will help as well, but light competition is clearly the primary issue here.

If you need further assistance, please let us know.

Eric