Planting A Hedge

 Why Plant A Hedge

• Living privacy fence to provide privacy from street traffic and neighbors
• Sound barrier to reduce noise
• Windbreak to reduce harsh winds
• Snow fence to reduce snow accumulation
• Wildlife sanctuary and feed birds

Planning

Select vigorous disease-free and pest-free and resistant plants that suit your region. Wise plant choices make a healthy hedge that's easy to maintain. Slow- and moderate-growing shrubs and trees are best. Fast growing plants require more pruning (hedging).

Your choice of shrubs or seedling trees also should be guided by the style of hedge you want. Formal hedges, with a solid architectural form, neatly frame a yard or rooms within it. Deciduous flowering shrubs, such as lilac, spiraea, forsythia, and evergreens, such as boxwood, arborvitae, holly, develop into effective hedges although much of the flower power is loss. Set the height and depth of the hedge according to the vigor of the plants chosen.

Planning, Measuring and Staking the length of the planting area is next up, followed by shopping for plants, digging, and watering. 

Planting...

1. Stake and mark the planting area, whether in a straight line or a curved one. Use a measuring tape as a guide. Be sure to consider underground utilities when selecting the planting location. Avoid planting over utilities if possible.

2. Space plants set potted shrubs in place, allowing room for the plants to reach their mature size. Stagger plants in two rows for a thicker hedge that will fill in more quickly.

3. Space accordingly based as on the mature width of the shrub as the spacing between the plants' root balls.

4. Dig the planting holes and remove the shrubs from pots and set them at the same dept. Space according to what shrubs you are setting and refill in the planting holes.

5. Water shrubs as needed throughout the first growing season.

6. Mulch - Spread a 2 to 3 inch layer of shredded pine bark mulch between the plants. Keep the mulch away from the plants' stems to allow water to reach the roots.

Plant Choices For Hedges:

Evergreens: Emerald arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis ‘Smaragd’), Western arborvitae (Thuja plicata), Green Giant arborvitae (Thuja standishi x plicata), Canadian hemlock (Tsuga canadensis), Schip or Cherry Laurel (Prunus laurocerasus 'Schipkaensis'), Glossy abelia (Abelia × grandiflora), Japanese holly (Ilex crenata), Inkberry holly (Ilex glabra), Boxwood (Buxus spp.), Hicks yew (Taxus x media), Junipers (Juniperus chinensis), Cedars (Juniperus virginiana), Japanese Euonymus (Euonymus japonicus).

Deciduous: European beech (Fagus sylvatica), Linden (Tilia spp.), European hornbeam (Carpinus betulus), Hedge Maple (Acer campestre), Arrowwood viburnum (Viburnum dentatum), Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus), Firethorn (Pyracantha coccinea), Forsythia (Forsythia spp.), Various spireas (Spiraea spp.), Flowering quince (Chaenomeles x), red chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia 'Brilliantissima'), Japanese barberry (Berberis thunbergii).