What’s wrong with my laurel?

[eggsandwich]

I’ve got a well established laurel hedge though it’s rather leggy and has reached a height of approximately 8 feet, I do try and trim the sides as best I can, but the last couple of days I’ve noticed a lot of the green leaves have fallen from it and wonder if anyone knows why?

I’m wondering if I should get it removed, which is a shame as it hides all my wheelie bins, could it be diseased as last year it was covered in places in white powder on the leaves, any ideas would be grateful received.

It sounds like powdery mildew as a result of lack of water, and the falling leaves could be caused by drought, as well. You don’t mention what sort of soil they’re planted in, are they next to paving?
I would trim the top by a couple of feet and make sure they are well watered. Put a mulch over the roots to keep them moist.You can get chemical sprays to treat mildew, but I would avoid doing that, especially at this time of year. Birds nesting etc.
Laurels are great hedging, I’ve got one, but they grow quickly and need trimming to keep them in good condition. The good news is that they are as tough as old boots! I grow clematis through mine.

Hi, JT05 we have acidic/sandy soil and the laurels are right next to a horse chestnut tree, I do put a mulch of leaves around the base every autumn, but I think your right about giving it a good trim, I like the idea of clematis growing through it, think I’ll be doing that once I’ve given it a good haircut