Bare root hedge

[Taff]

Just about to plant some bare root blackthorn, needing some advice please. I’ve installed a mesh fence on our boundary, it’s quite damp at this part of the garden. The bare root plants I have are 45-60 cms in height so just thin little things. If I was to dig a trench it would just be full of water, so wondering if I could just soak them then get a metal spike to create a hole, place them in then firm them in by foot.

[Johnnyt]

Three years ago this Xmas eve, I planted a mixed native hedge of bare rooted whips, including blackthorn, hawthorn,hornbean (which like wet gound) hazel and others.

The ground is cheshire pasture with clay at 14inches below topsoil, It was a 75 meter run and I just used a spade and waggled it to open the ground and placed the whips in a firmed with my heel. I lost 2 plants.

I dont think anything too technical is required,

Attached is a picture of them in May 18

 

[Taff]

That’s come out champion, I’ll just use the spade technique then ?

[Taff]

Is that a single row? How far apart.

[Johnnyt]

Double row, zig zagged about 2 -3 feet apart on each row so when looking at the hedge they appear 12 to 18 inches apart.

[Taff]

?

[Cpd]

I would second the spade technique but would also add that it is so very important to have some sort of weed management in place. Young trees grow much faster if they are not competing with grass and other vegetation, especially in the first few years. I have planted thousands of bare root trees ranging from eucalyptus to hazel and everything in between and the ones that have weed suppression do the best by far. There are many ways to do this from covering the ground with fabric to the use of chemicals, you just need to use the one that is best for your situation. 

[Russell griffiths]

If it’s a hedge you will cut by hand yourself, then don’t do a double row, just a single. 

You will find it will come out to wide, no problem if cutting with a tractor flail. 

 

[Taff]

The area is just grass, so thought I would get the strimmer out and get it right down to the ground! Maybe I should get the fork out!

[Russell griffiths]

Remember rabbit guards. 

[Taff]

I have 250 plants so there’s plenty, will do double as @Johnnyt suggests

[Taff]

3 minutes ago, Russell griffiths said:

Remember rabbit guards. 

?

[Temp]

I did 60m of natural hedge using whips. You just use a spade to make an L shape cut and lift the corner. Stick the whip in, let the sod back down and press it down with foot. Think i did something like 300 whips over two days. Two rows staggered. Can still cut it by hand.

 

I put mine in about 1m away from a post and rail fence so I can get between the fence and hedge to cut the back side.

[Cpd]

9 hours ago, Taff said:

I would get the strimmer out and get it right down to the ground!

This will only work for a very short time, before you know it the trees will be covered in grass. As someone said if there are rabbits or dear or lots of voles then you also need deal with this in advance. I have seen so many plantings fail due to weeds and vermin. Just saying....

[Gone West]

We put in a single row of mixed blackthorn and hawthorn bare rooted 60cm tall in winter 2015/16. They can just about be seen behind the rabbit fence in the first picture. Five years later, second picture, they have grown a bit. They are kept at 1m high as they are on the road edge.

 

 

[Cpd]

What a cracking job.