Now, mid November is the ideal time to plant a hedge. The ground is still warm from the summer and the plants are dormant meaning it isn’t such a shock for them to be moved.
When thinking about a hedge it is important to get the right plant for your garden. Our hedge hub suggests various options for hedging from small to large, evergreen and deciduous.
Once you have chosen the hedge you desire it is so important to get the spacing right. Too crowded and some of the plants may die leaving ugly holes, too far apart and it could be years until you get the dense hedge you were hoping for.
The best form of plant for hedging is bare rooted, available from specialist nurseries and costing a fraction of a garden centre pot of the same species. Bare rooted plants need to go into the soil in late autumn or early winter; in other words, about now!
Bare rooted plants will look like sticks with a few roots at one end, and if you order these through the post, do make sure you plant or heel them in as soon as you receive them. If your hedging site isn’t quite ready, dig a small trench in a flower bed and drop the plants in, pressing down with your heel. They will be quite safe there until the end of February or when you are ready to plant them, whichever is sooner.
Putting in a new hedge can be a daunting project, and here at Chopwell we are delighted to work with clients to help them transform their garden plans into a reality. If you want a new hedge, or any garden advice, give our friendly team a call. We look forward to hearing from you soon.
