Privacy Hedge Update

 The hedge along the back fence in SJC that was put in a little over a year ago to replace the oleanders dying of oleander scorch is filling in nicely. This picture was from a couple months ago and there is actually a lot more growth since then due to the hot weather we had been having. We keep them topped for now to encourage side growth.

 Although these are all considered drought tolerant plants when once they are established, since they still have only been in the ground a little over a year and are in a heavy growing mode they require regular water to keep them from getting stressed. We have invested too much time and money to lose them now due to neglect so we keep a close eye on them during this drought.  A truckload of mulch is being delivered this week to help keep the soil cool and moist.
 

 Although there were old sprinkler heads that had been converted to a drip system for the older plants, we are giving these young shrubs long deep soaks a couple times a month to make sure their roots go deep. There are still a few oleanders that are hanging on around the far side of the fence, but they are all slowly showing signs of dying off to the disease that has taken hundreds of the shrubs in this neighborhood alone. Soon we will have to deal with their replacements too, but the choices may be different due to the location in the yard and how they fit in with the other landscaping. The neighbors on the other side of these fences haven't done anything to enhance the privacy, but our other neighbors on the other side have already planted some bougainvillaea to take the place of the oleanders.

We had also planted some quick growing vines along this fence to give us some privacy a little bit sooner than the hedge will be complete and they are filling in nicely too. I am anticipating almost complete coverage by the end of this summer.