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I posted on the Blog a wee while ago, and on the thread about Hawthorn. I intend to plant new hedge about 20m long with the species picked for butterflies.
The plants are arriving on Friday, so I now actually have to do some work.
In my photo section I put up a couple of photos of where the hedge was to go, and another of the same thing with the ground cleared. I have also bought a length of membrane to lay as well. The plan was to plant an offset double row- how far apart should the plants be? and how far apart should the rows be?
I assume I plant THROUGH the membrane? Does that mean I just dig/poke wee holes for the roots. How deep do they need to go?
Some of the websites say I should be a) watering (they're kidding- it's tipping down here!) and b) feeding as I plant. Is that right? Should I?
Can you feel my panic? Sorry to bombard.
When thou seest an eagle, thou seest a portion of genius; lift up thy head!
I wish I could help you with some advice but I can't. All I can do is wish you the best of luck with your project, and I'll keep my fingers crossed that the weather turns more conducive to gardening!
Cheers, Linda.
See my photos on Flickr
:)
This site might help - http://www.greenfingers.com/articledisplay.asp?id=339
It does depend on just what is being planted though so it will be worth checking the requirements of what you are planting first.
Millie & Fly the Border Collies
HI AQ
Found this site with general advice about planting different types of shrubs also gives advice about spacing.
http://homeideas.howstuffworks.com/shrub/how-to-space-and-plant-freestanding-shrubs.htm
I was once told that no matter how much rain you get you should always water in well.
Good luck!
Regards
Kerry
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kezmo6310/
My wildlife gardening 'bible' (Chris Baines' "How to make a wildlife garden") says to plant about five plants per metre of hedge so that would be about 20cm apart (by my calculations!) and to plant them at a 45 degree slope along the line of the hedge - this is to promote side shoot growth. Also, I would water at the bottom of the hole (and feed at the bottom) before back filling. Not too sure about planting through the membrane (not had much success with these myself so hesitate to give advice!). I would have thought that the rows would need to be a similar distance apart to the plants within the row?
Good luck - and have fun!
Make the boy interested in natural history if you can; it is better than games [Robert Falcon Scott]
Hi AQ
Well done you, actually getting on and getting the plants in. My native hedge is a double row (to give more thickness). I laid out two strings in parallel straight lines 40cm apart. Then I planted trees 80cm apart along one line, and 80cm apart along the other, but with the two rows staggered so that one tree in one line is half way between the ones in the other.
The easiest way to plant is just to stick a spade in the ground and wiggle it back and forward to make a slit and stick the whip in - it's really quick. There should be a fairly clear dividing line on the stem of each whip which was the level it was in the ground before it was dug up - that's the depth you want to replant each one at.
With a long single length of membrane, what you could do is then lie it between the two rows of planted whips, and at each whip then cut a slit from the edge of the liner inwards to the whip so that it wraps around the whip base (I hope that makes sense). And I then put a mulch such as of bark over the top of the membrane to hold it down and make it look neat.
Well, that's my advice anyway. Best of luck - look forward to hearing how it goes :-)
If you want to drop by my RSPB wildlife gardening blog, it is updated every Friday, and I'd love to see you there - www.rspb.org.uk/community/blogs/hfw
Adrian, that's EXACTLY what I needed. I did wonder about using something like a fence post thingie to make the holes, and making them through the membrane, unrolling it as I went along.
Clearing the line has left me with a pile of compost, which I thought to put on below the membrane to improve the soil. As to mulch, on the basis that I don't, at this point want to spend any more, I've got masses of leaf mould from prior years, and I thought I'd just use that?
Could you plant your hedge next Saturday (5th December)? Have a look at this web site http://www.bbc.co.uk/breathingplaces/treeoclock/.
Your contribution would be great. I'll be out there planting mine.
Build it and they will come.
That leaf mould sounds nice as a mulch. Even if some weed seeds germinate in it, over the top of a membrane they'll be really easy to yank out. Happy hedging!
So, I got up this morning, and looked out the window and it was.... snowing. I breathed a huge sigh of relief on the basis that I couldn't beexpected to do this in the snow.
But it went off a few minutes later, so I got on with it. There's a wee short bit, and I started there. I had take some advice from a friend who planted a hedge like mine about 2 years ago, and he had said to lay the membrane and plant through it. 4 plants in, I think my husband sensed my frustration and he came and took over digging duties. WHAT a fine chap he is!
So we finished doing the short bit and then started on the long. And we did that the way Adrian said which was MUCH easier. the basic problem was the ground conditions which are rubbish. Any road, each hole got some compost and when we'd planted the lot we put more compost over the top all the way down the middle, then laid the membrane, cutting in from the sides. We got some leaf mould spread a wee bit on top of the short side, but didn't get to that on the long bit. I'll do it next weekend. We've weighed down the edges of the membrane with rotting fence posts (this hedge replaces an old fence)
So, that's done. (actually, I must have done something mega wrong- I've 26 plants left:( - we planted rosa rugosa along the edge of the woodland last week, and I'll try to get the remaining plants in there, extending that hedge, next weekend. Meantime I've planted what's left in the compost heap to keep the roots moist.)
Short bit:-
Long bit (slightly less out of focus, but still not great.)