Planting a hedge: timing, distance & instructions

A hedge is not just a privacy screen, it can also be a retreat for insects and birds. Read this article to learn what is important when planting a new hedge.

Not only are they popular as privacy screens, hedges also absorb a certain amount of street noise. In addition, your green is better protected from the wind. However, it can take a few years for hedges to become lush green and tall - depending on how big the plants you buy are. If you are planning to plant a hedge and are wondering when is the best time to do it and what to consider, this article will provide answers.

Planting a hedge: when is the best time?

Depending on what you want to plant, another time during the year is ideal. You should also pay attention to the form in which you buy the hedge plants. Container plants, i.e. plants in pots, can in principle be planted all year round, but of course they have to be watered more when it is hot and are given a more drastic plant cut. Bare-root plants or high-quality bale products from the nursery are a little more sensitive - the best possible planting time should be selected here.

Tip: When planting in the growing season, it is also possible to cut immediately after planting so that the plants sprout more branched out. The cut should be superficial, so the tips are cut.

Plant summer and evergreen hedges

Summer and evergreen hedge plants are best planted in autumn (mid-October to mid-December), during the dormancy period. This minimizes water loss through transpiration. In addition, the roots can grow in before they sprout in spring and supply the new leaves of the plant. Planting before budding in spring is also very possible with a good water supply.

Examples of deciduous hedge plants: Field maple (Acer campestre), European beech (Fagus sylvatica), Common privet (Ligustrum vulgare), Honeysuckle (Lonicera xylosteum), Dogwood species (Cornus alba, C. mas, C. sanguinea), Dark red hedge barberry (Berberis x ottawensis 'Superba')

Examples of evergreen hedge plants: Low honeysuckle (Lonicera nitida), Hornbeam (Carpinus betulus), Wintergreen Privet (Ligustrum vulgare ‘Atrovirens’), wintergreen tree loquat (Cotoneaster x watereri)

Tip: Wintergreen plants are those that color their foliage slightly brown, but do not repel over the winter. The leaves, which are sometimes already brown, are firmly attached to the plant and serve as winter protection. In the spring, the old leaves are suddenly thrown off as the new leaves emerge.

Plant evergreen hedges

Planting an evergreen hedge is possible almost all year round with the right water supply - only spring should be avoided as a planting time.

Examples of evergreen hedge plants: Red-leaved Loquat (Photinia x fraseri), Yew (Taxus baccata), Holly (Ilex aquifolium), King barberry (Berberis julianae), Obelisk juniper (Juniperus chinensis ‘Obelisk’), Firethorn species (Pyracanta spec.), for low hedges: Skimmia (Skimmia japonica)

The right location

Here it is important to find out individually which hedge plants are suitable for which location. Because not every hedge plant can cope well with extreme soil conditions such as drought or a high clay content. Even a very shady location is not suitable for all plants. For example, if you plan to plant a flowering hedge, it is important that the location is not too dark. You should also only choose plants that are hardy in our latitude.

In our special article you will find 6 easy-care hedgesthat do well in many locations.

Distance with hedge plants

There are a few things to keep in mind when planting new hedges, especially when it comes to distance. We answer the most important questions below:

How much distance has to be kept to the neighbor?

This point in particular is important so that there is no quarrel with your neighbor when the hedge is fully grown. In the neighborhood law of the individual federal states, it is noted which border distances are to be observed. Roughly, the bigger the plants get, the greater the distance to the border must be. In Saxony and Bavaria, for example, with a plant height of more than two meters, a distance of two meters from the property line must also be maintained. Such a large distance is not required in other federal states. Nevertheless, you should always find out about the current regulations in your state.

How much distance should you keep from a fence?

There are no legal requirements for the distance between the hedge plants and a fence - unless the fence marks the boundary. However, it should be borne in mind that the hedge needs an annual cut, not least so that the fence does not grow in. Depending on the later growth width, a sufficient distance is necessary for this. It must be taken into account in advance that the hedge plants become wider with age. And even if you want to plant a narrow hedge, the distance to the fence should allow a trouble-free cut.

How much distance must there be between the hedge plants?

When planting a hedge, the following applies: the larger and wider a hedge plant will grow, the greater the distance may be. If there is too much space between the hedge plants after planting, it will take a very long time before they become opaque and windproof. Planting too closely, on the other hand, can cause individual plants to die off. To avoid this unnecessary waste of time and money, the correct distance should be maintained.
The following table lists some examples of plants with the appropriate distance per running meter as a reference.

German name (botanical name)	Appropriate height (cm)	Minimum width (cm)	Plants per running meter
Mount boxwood (Buxus sempervirens 'Suffruticosa')	20 – 100	10	4 – 8
Common privet (Ligustrum vulgare)	100 – 300	100	2 – 3
yew (Taxus baccata)	100 – 500	100	1 – 2

When buying the plants, the sellers can usually give you information and recommendations for certain plants. Often even varieties of the same species differ in their growth width, so that it is better to get precise advice.

Planting hedges: step by step instructions

Once you've decided on a hedge, it's time to plant. You can read how to do this in this step-by-step guide to planting a hedge:

Step 1: planning

First, determine the desired location for the hedge planting. Pay attention to the soil conditions. Once you have chosen a hedge plant suitable for the location, the distance to the property line, a fence and other plants can be planned. The right planting time also results from the type of plant.

Step 2: purchasing the hedge plants

When you have decided on a type of plant, you can buy the plants. Usually the plants are available in different sizes. There is also a selection of different qualities. The plants are either bare-rooted, balled, wire balled or sold in containers (pots). Container goods are usually somewhat inferior and cheaper and take a little longer to find their way to the new location. For this, however, it can be planted almost all year round. Bale goods are more expensive, of higher quality, grow better - but should not be planted in summer. Bare-rooted plants are very cheap to buy, but they have to be looked after so that they can grow safely and without drying out.

Step 3: create a planting trench

Now the planting ditch is to be dug. This should definitely be twice as deep and one and a half times as wide as the root ball. It is best to orientate yourself on a previously stretched string.

Step 4: distribution and alignment of the hedge plants

In the trench, it is now time to distribute and align the hedge plants. It is important here to keep the desired and required distance between the plants. The straight alignment works very well with the cord stretched between two rods. Working with a folding rule, secure the plant balls with some compacted soil in the place where they are to be planted.

Tip: prepare the root ball

Prepare container plants: For optimal growth of the roots it is necessary to loosen the cylindrical ball of the container plants a little. This step is important because the root injury ensures increased branching and thus better and faster rooting. Pierce the ball of the foot with a spade four to six times or pull it apart firmly with both hands so you can feel some roots tear apart. Loosen the container ball just before placing the plant in the ditch.

Prepare bare-rooted plants: In the case of bare-root plants, the roots of all plants can be shortened by a maximum of a third before they are distributed in the planting pit.

Prepare bale goods: Bales of goods are wrapped in jute cloth or wire when they are delivered. The balling is only opened directly before filling with soil. The jute cloth can be removed when the bale underneath is firm and stable. It is organically degradable and can therefore also be buried if it is only untied at the root neck and opened. Wire balls remain on the ball, but it makes sense to open the wire at the root neck as well. Sometimes this can be achieved by bending it open, sometimes wire cutters have to help. The wire is also quickly decomposed in the ground because it is not rustproof. After just a few years, there is hardly any residue left in the soil.

Small root balls should also be well moistened before planting them in the ground. Repeated watering with the garden hose is recommended for this. This approach is not recommended for large root balls as they will become too heavy to move. These plants should only be watered at their final location.

Step 5: Loosening the excavation

The excavation of the trench should be loosened up with a hoe in order to later enable the hedge plants to grow as well as possible. A soil activator can also be added for better growth. This is more suitable for planting than other fertilizers, as it supports root growth with a moderate nutrient content. For example, you can use our Plantura organic soil activator to use. This contains live mycorrhizal fungi, which enable the plants to have a better supply of water and nutrients.

Step 6: planting plants

The plants must be straight and upright to ensure even growth. You can orientate yourself on the string. After filling in the rest of the excavation, it is advisable to vigorously tread the soil around the plants, which will fill voids in the soil. A pouring rim is modeled from the remaining earth, which surrounds the entire hedge.

Step 7: water the hedge

Even in damp weather, the hedge plants should definitely be watered. This closes any cavities that are still open and the soil is well moistened. This enables the plants to grow in optimally. To do this, the pouring rim should be completely filled. In warm weather in spring and summer, the new hedge must be watered daily, in winter only when it is dry.

Tip: By buffering soil moisture and temperature, mulch improves the growing in of the hedge. Our peat-free one, for example, is suitable for this Plantura organic pine bark in rough screening. This also prevents strong weed growth, and pine bark also offers good protection from the cold, especially in winter. Further Benefits of mulching you can read about it in our special article.

Do you want to plant a robust, blooming hedge? Then the privet could be something for you. Read more tips on in our special article Planting privet.