Planting Hints and Tips

You could write a book on all the different methods and suggestions on planting (I expect someone has actually). To be honest there is no right or wrong way other than put the roots in the ground and shoots in the air.  Here are a few tips and suggestions that we have found to work:

Before you buy

• If you are planting close to a boundary it is always worth consulting your neighbours first. A lot of “problem hedges” are often problems in communication that become boundary disputes over time. If you are planting near a neighbour please consider carefully the effect on the light penetration and the view from your neighbour’s garden. There is nothing to stop you planting a hedge on your property, but it is always worthwhile to consider your close neighbour’s situation, even if the hedge is to screen them!
• Consider how much maintenance you want to carry out. Almost all hedging plants need clipping once a year and some of the very fast species will benefit from 2 visits. All hedging plants (even leylandii) can be maintained at acceptable heights and widths, but obviously the more vigorous the plants are, the more cutting they will need.
• Measure the total length you wish to plant in metres. For most garden situations when using bare-root hedging whips we suggest planting a double row. You will get a fuller hedge much quicker. Allow 5 plants per metre.

Before you plant

• Never ever plant when the soil is water logged or it is raining. If the soil feels too wet and cold then it probably is. If there are puddles on the ground after rain, then it is still too wet. If the puddles last a long time then you might have drainage problems.
• Never plant when the soil is very dry. It is much harder for one thing, and any moisture in the plant pot or in the roots will be drawn out into the soil.
• Make sure that the ground is not too compacted or poorly drained. Ideal planting soil should be friable (crumbly) with an even tilth (all the crumble the same size rather than clods) and there shouldn’t be any significant amount of standing water the next day after rain.
• Mark out the line of your hedge with string using two lines (or one for a single row). Be careful not to trip over the lines though!
• Soak the roots of all your plants before planting
• Remove any broken or damaged roots or cut back any broken branches with a pair of sharp secateurs.
• For potted plants, some people suggest teasing out the roots from the side of the rootball. In our experience this is unnecessary and can have a detrimental effect on establishment

Planting

• You may prefer to dig a trench rather than an individual hole for each plant. Whilst it can be a bit more work it will help you keep everything in a straight line and is sometimes quicker. If you need to improve the drainage dramatically you can line the bottom of the trench with shingle or even use drainage pipe to take excess water away if you have somewhere appropriate to drain the water to.
• Dig the hole or trench just before you want to plant. If you dig it a week in advance there is a chance that it will fill up with water and you will have drainage problems from then on.
• You don’t need to dig a huge hole. Just make sure that the new plant sits in there comfortably and that you have enough space to work in.
• Don’t plant too deep. Always plant the plant at roughly the same level of the pot or where the soil level was before it was lifted. If you plant too deep the plant tends to rot off (there are some exceptions, but it is a good rule of thumb). By all means dig over the bottom of the hole to improve drainage, but add some soil back to get the height right.
• Add some composted organic matter to the planting soil. It could be compost that you have made or a soil improver that you have bought, anything is better than nothing.
• Add a little fertiliser to help rooting. Fertilisers come in all shapes and sizes, but a little bonemeal sprinkled around the edge of the planting hole helps root growth. Don’t be tempted to add too much as this can have the opposite effect. If in doubt just sprinkle a little bonemeal on the soil after planting and it will work its way in eventually.
• Place the hedging plant in the hole then backfill with a little of the planting soil until the roots are covered. For bare-root whips give the tree a shake up and down. Some of the soil should fall around the roots reducing air spaces.
• Firm in with your heel, but definitely no stamping. This will mean that you don’t get a solid layer and you get good drainage. Leave the soil level or just slightly raised when you have finished
• Use a can as a support for the first couple of years, particularly in exposed situations. Make sure you check the ties every year.

Aftercare

• Always water in after planting. Use a soft spray or watering can and wet the soil around the new plants. Let this drain away from the surface and give them some more, just to make sure that there is enough to keep them going for a while.
• Do not allow the soil around new plants to dry out in their first season. To get the best start you may want to water during hot spells or if the ground becomes very dry in the second season as well.
• Feed bonemeal in the autumn, and don’t forget the spring feeds to get them going next year.
• Prune regularly as required. Most hedges will need a tidy up after the first flush of growth around June. More vigorous species may benefit from a clip in late summer to tidy them up before the winter.