It can be difficult to plan and plant a new garden, especially if you have a particular layout or plan in mind. Hedges can be particularly hard to grow. Getting the right plant spacing, the right height, and making the hedge look good are all things you may have trouble with when you try and grow your first one. Use the following five tips to increase your chances of success as you nurture and coax your hedge from small beginnings to a work of art:
Begin with a high-quality soil and fertiliser
Using good quality, fertile soil will make growing your hedge much, much easier. Since hedges tend to draw a lot of nutrients out of the ground, it is important to have those nutrients there to keep it in pristine condition. Prepare the soil before you plant, and consider adding things like manure and compost. You can also spread things like woodchips or compost around the base of the plants to prevent weeds growing and to keep the soil healthy.
Begin shaping your plants early
It is important to know what shape and size you want your hedge to be, and to begin pushing it into this size from a young age. This will prevent the growth of large, woody branches and trunks, which can detract from the look of the hedge. Trimming early will allow the hedge to grow thick and bushy from the ground up, avoiding large gaps which can be very hard to fill as the hedge gets taller. It also helps keep it green and should help the foliage stay healthy and relatively undamaged.
Keeping your hedge well-watered is extremely important. If you are in an area which permits it, you should consider setting up a drip or trickle system that you can turn on and leave on. If you don’t water regularly then your hedge will probably take on a dead, poor looking appearance. Keep in mind that most cities have watering regulations that you will need to follow.
Understand your plants
Understand what you are planting to make sure you treat it in the right way. You need to be aware of a number of things, including:
- How far apart to plant each plant in the hedge.
- What to fertilise it with.
- How much water they need.
Be careful when trimming
While it is possible to trim more of a plant off if you decide it needs it, it is very difficult to stick branches back on if you realise that you shouldn’t have cut them off. Take care when trimming your hedge, and remember you can come back over it and touch it up later if you need to.