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How To Plant A Hedge
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General Guidance Notes For Planting Mixed Native Hedging
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Preparation If the area to be planted has couch grass, docks, nettles or other perennial weeds, ideally it should be sprayed off well in advance with a suitable product - like glyphosate. A cleared one metre strip should be sufficient, and the ground cultivated, if possible. For a boundary in a field situation, where ground cultivation may not be practical, the grass and weeds should be flailed off when they have died down, after spraying.
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Planting Normally, plants are set out five per metre, staggered in a double row, with 12 to 16 inches, (30 to 40cms), between the rows. The species are mixed by planting randomly. (See planting notes.) When planting, the best method is "notch planting". This involves pushing the spade into the ground, pulling it backwards slightly to make a 'V' shaped slot in the ground. Place the roots straight down - not bunched up - remove the spade, and firm in with the foot. (**Please note - To ensure that the roots lay in the notch, slight root pruning may be required if the roots are very fibrous.) If plants are to be protected with a spiral rabbit guard, push a 3 foot, (91 cms), cane in about 9 to 12 inches, (23 - 30 cms), alongside the plant and then wrap the spiral around the plant and cane. |
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Aftercare Keep the planted area weed free in the first two years. This can be achieved using a contact herbicide and/or a mulch - such as bark chippings. Plants should be kept watered in the first year, and a general fertilizer applied after growth has started in the spring. For a printable copy of this sheet please click
here. |
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