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Jul 12, 2016 12:40 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Gabbydcs
Edinburgh uk
Hello
About 10 weeks ago an idiot decided to pour petrol into our hedge and light this. Thankfully there where people around who called the fire brigade. I have taken out all of the dead hedge hoping it would come back but the very small leaves that started to grow go black and die. Should I just give up and pull out or keep at it and hope it will come back in timeThank you so much
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Jul 12, 2016 1:30 PM CST
Name: woofie
NE WA (Zone 5a)
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Did much soak into the ground? And did the fire crew use chemicals of any sort to put out the fire? If not, they might come back. We have certainly burnt weeds, only to have them come back later. A lot depends, I guess, on how patient you are and how well established the hedge was.
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Jul 12, 2016 2:32 PM CST
Name: Elaine
Sarasota, Fl
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I wonder if you might be able to smell any residual petrol in the soil? Try taking a few handfuls and give it a sniff?

If it was diesel fuel, you'd definitely have to dig out some soil and replace it. Oil hangs around a long time and messed up the plants badly. Gasoline should evaporate eventually, I would think. Perhaps a douse with some mild, soapy water will rinse out the residue, and won't hurt the plants.

A call to the fire brigade might also give you a hint, as to whether they used some sort of fire suppressant rather than just water.
Elaine

"Success is stumbling from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm." –Winston Churchill
Avatar for Gabbydcs
Jul 13, 2016 9:08 AM CST
Thread OP
Name: Gabbydcs
Edinburgh uk
Thank you, I have watered it every day since it happened. Don't think it was around long as the coward who done it was caught on CCTV and it was seconds before the fire went up and there is no smell of petrol now, will keep watering see how things go. All this rain we are having might help too. Thanks again Thank You!
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Jul 14, 2016 7:25 AM CST
Name: Sandy B.
Ford River Twp, Michigan UP (Zone 4b)
(Zone 4b-maybe 5a)
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Welcome to NGA, @Gabbydcs !

I'm thinking there was probably less damage done by setting fire to the petrol than if it had just been poured into the ground and left; even very small amounts spilled when filling our lawnmower seem to kill the grass and prevent any from returning for quite some time. At any rate, I hope your hedge recovers quickly! Smiling
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