What happened to my Hornbeam?

[bonniethomas06]

Hi folks,

Apologies for the lack of pictures in this post - my cameraphone is full for the moment but I will try and take some snaps tonight.

We are planning to continue the neighbours hornbeam hedge (prefer beech but we have heavy clay and are quite exposed) around our perimeter - not least because it is likely that one day there will be new houses built in the next door plot.

It looks like someone has tried to plant a hornbeam hedge on our outside boundary (that backs on to a small field surrounded by hedgerows) a while ago. However, the plants are basically like tall pipe-cleaners, with hardly any side branches. Otherwise, they look healthy!

What could this be? Is it likely that deer have nibbled the side branches? (googled deer damage and it doesn't look like it?) Or could it be that when the cereal crop in the field has been sprayed, this has caused some kind of stunting? (although the rest of the plant is healthy apart from the lack of side branches)?

Curious indeed. But I would like to work it out so that when we plant our 66m of hornbeam hedge, it survives!

Any clues?

[becks77]

Might help??

https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=261

[bonniethomas06]

Thanks Becks, could be that - I suppose only time will tell if they pick up now that we are here to look after them? Although I can't say the side branches have died back as such, more that there don't seem to be any in the first place?
Curious.

I have since decided to rip them out and replace with a native hedge, so hopefully it is the above and not chemical drift from the field that knobbled the hornbeam. Time will tell!