How to plant hedge

[Romney_Rob]

Got quite a bit of hedging to do. Have prepared area by cutting the verge and spraying with roundup. Someone has recommended using a petrol drill to auger a hole and drop plant in. Others suggest using a spade.

Anyone got any suggestions on technique or tools to make this job easier?

 

[ploughman1963]

We always cut a 'T' slot with a spade. Make a deep incision with the spade - then place the spade at the end of that cut to make the 'T'. Push the spade in to complete the cut and lever back, the first cut will open up for you to place the hedge plant in. As you bring the spade upright, the sod will close again trapping the plant. Stamp either side of the cut to firm it and repeat - several hundred times over

 

[GTB]

Got quite a bit of hedging to do. Have prepared area by cutting the verge and spraying with roundup. Someone has recommended using a petrol drill to auger a hole and drop plant in. Others suggest using a spade.

Anyone got any suggestions on technique or tools to make this job easier?

We use a big fencing bar. Just make a hole, put the tree in and give it a good stamp in with your heel. For gorse plants we use a wide blade pick axe. Just dig a small flap, put the root and compost underneath and again stamp in with your heel.

 

[S J H]

Got quite a bit of hedging to do. Have prepared area by cutting the verge and spraying with roundup. Someone has recommended using a petrol drill to auger a hole and drop plant in. Others suggest using a spade.

Anyone got any suggestions on technique or tools to make this job easier?

I've cut a spade down so it's narrow, push in a wedge across then plant the whip down the back, and tread in. I used to use an auger but I don't think it's any quicker, more weight to carry, and people say that the ground dries out quicker.

 

[Lapwing]

Narrow spade pushed deep, then forward & back to make a cavity. Heel it in tight. Don't forget there is a right way up for spiral guards. For new hedging a planting machine is vastly quicker

 

[Old Boar]

Just out of interest, what species are you planting?

 

[Dr. Alkathene]

Got a hedge at home that is looking a bit straggly / thin. Thinking of planting a second row of hawthorn a couple of feet behind the existing hedge and chucking a bit of muck at it to get it going and thicken the hedge?

 

[Ffermer Bach]

on hard stony ground I use a 5' pointed bar, then drop in the whip and heel it in, I know the professionals use a notching spade. I can't remember, I think glastir was either 7 or 8 plants per metre, we did have an inspection to make sure we had planted enough (and a mix) and that the fencing was 3m wide.

 

[Ffermer Bach]

and I didn't bother with roundup, just planted

 

[Old Boar]

Find someone with an Elder. Chop bits off at random. Stick them in the ground thicker end down. They will grow and produce flowers for drinks and berries for pies, and lots of nectar for bees.

 

[Bury the Trash]

Elder ? noooooooooooooo .... if you got to have flowers .... how about Rosa Rugosa ...........

 

[Ffermer Bach]

elder is a terrible plant in a hedge

 

[Ffermer Bach]

hazel? seems to grow well

 

[Ffermer Bach]

but quickthorn is the cheapest

 

[Old Boar]

Quickthorn, hazel and elder all lay well if you ever lay a hedge. Rosa Rugosa can make long, long branches and make laying a hedge horrible. You can find the growing end, which goes on and on, winds through everything and grabs your hat, your gloves and your skin, and you never seem to find where it starts...
Just dont use Willow. Ever. Eeevvveeerrr.

 

[Goweresque]

elder is a terrible plant in a hedge

+1000000. Awful awful awful plant in hedges. Once elders gets a foothold everything else gets driven out. Can't stand seeing a 'hedge' that consists of nothing but elders.

 

[Old Boar]

That is odd, it co-exists with blackthorn, hawthorn, laburnum and ash here quite happily.

 

[milkloss]

hazel? seems to grow well

I wouldn’t unless you are going to lay the hedge, I don’t think it makes much of a hedge myself. I suppose it used to be planted for materials to lay the hedge once.

 

[michael N123]

Why have your roundupped it

 

[Dave6170]

We use a big fencing bar. Just make a hole, put the tree in and give it a good stamp in with your heel. For gorse plants we use a wide blade pick axe. Just dig a small flap, put the root and compost underneath and again stamp in with your heel.

You plant gorse?! I hate the bloody stuff trying to get rid of it. The kiwis will be disgusted by this