Posted: Wed Feb 29, 12 11:24 am Post subject: New hedging - what to plant?
I've taken out an old Leylandii hedge (it was 20ft high by about 10ft at the base) and am not sure what to plant to replace it with.
The new hedge needs to provide the following in order of importance:
1. Privacy (neighbours are on higher land than us)
2. Fast growing
3. Wildlife friendly
4. Be a native species or mix of species
What do I need to add to the soil before planting the new plants?
Do I need to get the old tree stumps out before replanting - they're about 10"-12" diameter.
Does anyone know of any hedging nurseries in the south west which have mature hedges available to view?
Thank you!
12Bore
Joined: 15 Jun 2008 Posts: 9089 Location: Paddling in the Mersey
Posted: Wed Feb 29, 12 11:48 am Post subject:
You should remove the stumps and add loads of compost/soil improver.
If you can, leave for a year for the ground to recover.
Beech?
Barberry if you want spikes?
Oregon grape?
https://www.ashridgetrees.co.uk Wincanton
Getting the stumps out is not an easy task but you probably know that already. We disposed of a similar hedge when in the UK and without substantial equipment, they were impossible to move. In the end on one section we drilled holes in the stumps and painted on diesel which worked well and stop further growth. Not the most environmentally friendly solution but it worked well. We raised the soil level and replanted with Holly - within 5 years we had a great evergreen hedge.
Tavascarow
Joined: 06 Aug 2006 Posts: 8407 Location: South Cornwall
Thank you. Someone suggested eleagnus ebbingeii - is that any good? Is it faster than beech?
Eleagnus is evergreen & some have edible fruit.
I like beech for the way it keeps its russet colours through winter but unless you leave it to turn to a tree you wont get any mast to eat.
I like traditional natives like holly, hawthorn & blackthorn.
If there are any, have a look at the local natural hedges and go with whats in them.
We started on our Leylandi last weekend but still have an awful long way to go. We got a mini digger in to take the stumps out of the last lot that we did.
Here are the pictures from last Sunday.
Plenty of sunshine and fresh air for us today.
Yo Heavo!
Thankfully we managed to get the first and biggest of the row without demolishing the garden shed or the greenhouse. Believe you me, it was close run thing. wink.gif
Blimey - yours was worse than ours - nightmare. I was surprised how weedy the petrol chipper we hired was - not really man-enough for the job but I couldn't hire a proper big one without the attached tree surgeon and his invoice.
Chippings piled up for a year before using?
Are you putting in a new hedge?
tonythetree
Joined: 25 Jan 2008 Posts: 16 Location: Worcestershire
Posted: Wed Feb 29, 12 4:59 pm Post subject: Beech hedging
Hi I have approx 40 Beech hedging plants 40-60cm you can have if you can pick em up They are left over from a planting job
We're in Worcestershire
Tony
The ground needs to be wet for willow doesn't it? My patch is south facing on sandyish soil.
They wont survive an extended drought but don't need to be soaking wet either.
If you have got light sandy soil you might have to give them a drink once in a while.
Marches
Joined: 13 Dec 2011 Posts: 171 Location: Nr Peak District, England
They are left over from a planting job
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