How to create a natural hedge

Important preliminary considerations

Choose the location for the hedge wisely. On the one hand, this should offer enough space and also be suitable with regard to the environment. If your property is near a nature reserve, the species composition of the Benjes hedge can have negative consequences for this landscape. This danger exists especially with wood residues that sprout again. You should therefore also refrain from using dominant blackberries, which can quickly claim the hedge and leave no room for further development.

Pay attention to the soil conditions

If the subsoil is very rich in nutrients, predominantly competitive and nutrient-hungry crops will settle. They suppress the emergence of rarer species because, with their rapid growth, they rob other seeds of light. Last but not least, they limit the diversity of fauna.

How to create a hedge

In order to give the Benjes hedge a stable shape, beginners can drive stakes into the ground in two rows at regular intervals of two meters from one another. The width depends on the individual space available and can vary between one and two meters. Wood cuttings are piled up between this form. Leaves and soil are also suitable as filling material. The hedge changes and sags over time, so you can regularly replenish new clippings.

How the habitat develops:

• Birds build nests
• Hedgehogs find retreats
• Seeds accumulate due to wind and weather

Jump start

If you have certain types of plants in mind that should settle in the hedge and not grow in the area, you can help with the greening. Put some native hedges and bushes directly into the wall. Within a short time the Deadwood hedge given new life by the flowers and you will watch how the trees slowly grow into the overall picture. Another advantage of targeted planting is that the Benjes hedge is given a little more stability.