Hornbeam hedge: 17 tips for care

Compared to a beech hedge, the hornbeam is much more robust and easier to care for. It quickly forms compact and opaque hedges. Regular trimming is the most important part of grooming.

Characteristics

• Plant family: Birch family (Betulaceae)
• Botanical name: Carpinus betulus
• German names: hornbeam, hornbeam
• Origin: Central Europe
• Habit: Small tree, broad, rounded crown, smooth bark
• Growth height: 15 to 25 m
• Foliage: ovate serrate
• Flowers: female flowers inconspicuous, male flowers kitten-shaped
• Flowering period: May, June
• Fruit: nutlets about one centimeter long
• Lime tolerance: Lime tolerant
• Toxicity: non-toxic

location claims

Care begins with the choice of location. The hornbeam grows in the sun, partial shade or shade as long as it gets enough water and nutrients. Even strong winds and air pollution cannot harm it.

Carpinus betulus does not need a specific soil. It thrives in moderately dry to moist soil, but can also cope with wet. They can be sandy to clayey and acidic to alkaline. Spreading a layer of mulch from compost, leaves or lawn clippings is recommended. Mulch reduces evaporation while also bringing nutrients into the soil.

Best planting time

• Plant bare-rooted plants in spring or autumn
• Container plants all year round provided soil is frost free
• Best planting time in autumn
• Soil still well moistened
• Spring partly already warm and dry
• Hornbeams grow worse

Container plants should be preferred for planting outside of the growing season. Bare-rooted plants lose root mass when they are cut out, which makes it difficult to grow outside of the usual planting season.

The day of planting should be frost-free and no frost is to be expected in the next few days.

plant spacing

Planting distances play an important role in terms of opacity. Each individual plant should have enough space so as not to hinder each other's growth. The optimal planting distance is 50 cm, i.e. two plants per square meter. Distances should also be maintained to fences and walls so that the hedge can be well maintained from each side.

planting guide

• Water hedge plants well
• Tension the cord for guidance
• Then dig sufficiently large planting holes
• shorten roots
• Do not plant hedge plants too deep
• Do not damage fibrous roots
• Avoid cavities by shaking back and forth
• Mix the excavated earth with compost, fill up the planting pit
• Tamp down the earth and muddy it well
• On loamy soils, water again after a few hours

watering and fertilizing

In order to optimally care for newly planted hornbeams, they must be watered regularly. Once established, this is only necessary if the drought persists. Older specimens can take care of themselves thanks to their long roots. Fertilizing is usually only necessary in the first few years. Once the plants are well established, they take care of themselves. It is usually sufficient to fertilize them in spring and, if necessary, once again in summer and to provide them with mature compost and horn shavings.

Cut

With the right pruning at the right time, the hornbeam stays healthy for a long time and has enough strength to sprout again.

plant cutting

To ensure that the hornbeam hedge still has a dense green foliage even in old age, the cut plays a key role in care. The first takes place at planting.

• Plant pruning to promote the growth of the lower shoots
• Takes place when planting in autumn
• Tension the string for a straight cut
• Cut the hedge in half at the top and on all sides
• Juice pressure is distributed more evenly
• Strengthening the growth power of the shoots below the interfaces
• Cut hedge preferably in a trapezoid shape, broad base, narrow tip
• Cut a few millimeters above the opposite pair of leaves or buds
• Leave no butts behind

Education or development cut

The training cut is used to build up the hedge step by step until the desired size is reached. The aim is to throttle the increase in height and thereby distribute the juice pressure evenly.

• Best time between January and February
• On an overcast and frost-free day
• Temperatures not below minus five degrees
• Budding should not have started yet
• Cut young hedge plants continuously for the first two to three years
• Shorten every shoot that grows outwards and upwards several times a year

topiary

When the targeted final height is almost reached, it is time for a shape cut. It aims for a dense growth from base to tip. This cut should also be done between January and February. First remove dead and damaged wood. Then you mark the cut profile with cords and wooden slats or finished wire mesh in the desired shape. Always cut from top to bottom. Everything that protrudes from the profile is cut off. As soon as twigs and shoots grow out of shape again, they have to be trimmed.

care cut

The grooming cut is practically a light shape cut. The best date is the 24th. June, the day of St. John two weeks before or after. The cutting measures are limited to this year's growth. All shoots that have lost their shape are shortened and weak, dead and disturbing shoots are removed.

taper cut

Older and senile hedge plants tend to become bare, especially in the lower area, and form significantly less leaf mass. A rejuvenation cut in February can help.

• First cut back a hedge side and top
• To a quarter of the desired height and width
• Then opposite side and flanks
• Cut back young shoots without branches
• Leave three eyes on the drive piece
• Cut out old branches
• Cut off diseased or dead plants close to the ground

hibernate

The hornbeam hedge is absolutely hardy as long as it is well established. It tolerates temperatures down to minus 20 degrees, winter protection is not required. To prevent the soil from drying out, a layer of mulch, ideally made of hornbeam leaves, can also be helpful in winter.

multiply

There are several ways to propagate the hornbeam:

sowing

The hornbeam forms winged small seeds, so-called nutlets, which can be harvested shortly before they are fully ripe. The wings are not yet dry and the nuts are green-yellow. When left to mature, the shells have hardened and the seeds need to be stratified. Sow directly on the spot or in small pots of regular garden soil to protect against squirrels and mice. You cover them with soil, moisten it and put the whole thing in a shady place outdoors. It can take up to two years for the seeds to germinate.

cuttings

Cuttings are cut before they sprout in spring or late summer and should be around 10-15 cm long. The bottom leaves are removed and the remaining leaves are cut in half to minimize evaporation. Now you put them in small pots with potting soil, put them in a shady place and keep the substrate moist.

lowering

• First select a shoot that is easy to bend and close to the ground
• Dig a small hollow in the ground under the shoot
• Bend the branch down to the ground
• Place in the hollow in the ground
• Then cover with soil
• Shoot tip should look out of the ground
• Press the soil down, fix the branch in the ground with a wire
• Finally water
• Cut off after the formation of new shoots and plant separately

diseases and pests

Even the hornbeam is not immune to everything. The following things could cause problems for her:

mildew

Powdery mildew shows up as a white, mealy coating. Affected plant parts should be removed and the plants thinned out. Preparations based on copper or wetted sulfur can be used to combat it. As a preventive measure, you can strengthen the plants with a plant broth made from field horsetail.

leaf spot fungus

Brown spots on the leaves and bulging can indicate an infestation by the leaf spot fungus. Affected plant parts should be cut off and discarded. If the fungus occurs repeatedly, the trade offers sprays to combat it.

Hornbeam Spider Mite

Mite infestation is manifested by small spots on the leaves, which increase in size, the leaves fall off. When the infestation is advanced, the leaves are covered with a fine mesh. It can be contained with herbal or chemical preparations.

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