Plant a hedge – how to succeed
There can be many reasons for wanting to plant a hedge, but most often it's to provide shelter from wind and to create privacy.
Choose a hedge
There are many attractive varieties to choose from, including evergreen, neatly trimmed, and freely growing hedges. A hedge doesn't have to consist of just one type of plant; it can benefit greatly from being enriched with several different varieties. This works especially well in a freely growing hedge.
Free-growing hedge
A freely growing hedge creates a wilder and more natural atmosphere. The plants can develop freely and typically produce richer blooms. Although a freely growing hedge requires a bit more space, it can of course be pruned slightly to suit your garden. Allow for approximately 2–4 plants per meter.
Examples of suitable plants for a freely growing hedge:
- Deciduous: Serviceberry, aronia, forsythia, mock orange, lilac, shrubby cinquefoil
- Evergreen: Pine, emerald thuja, rhododendron, cherry laurel
Shaped hedge
A neatly trimmed hedge creates a tidier, more structured impression with a clearly defined shape. This type of hedge takes up less space than a freely growing one. Plan for approximately 3–5 plants per meter, and prune around twice per season.
Examples of plants suitable for neatly trimmed hedges:
- Deciduous: Hornbeam, alpine currant, cotoneaster, Saskatoon berry (Amelanchier alnifolia), privet
- Evergreen: Holly (Ilex paraguariensis), thuja, yew
How to plant a hedge
- Use planting soil and mix it with the existing soil.
- Dig a planting trench approximately 50–70 cm wide.
- Carefully remove all weeds, then place the root ball at the same height as it was in the pot.
- Bare-root plants should be planted in early spring (April and May) or late autumn; they may have netting or burlap around the roots. Container-grown plants can be planted throughout the entire season.
Care instructions
- Water regularly during the establishment period, then adjust watering according to temperature, rainfall, and the specific plant variety you've chosen.
- Soil improvement should be done with cow manure in the spring, supplemented with garden fertilizer (e.g., Plantasjen all-purpose fertilizer) once growth begins.
- In late winter, evergreen plants should be protected from strong sunlight using shading nets.
Read more:
You are here: