how to thicken up a beech hedge

Beech hedging If plants are sparse, however, help thicken them up by shortening the leading shoot and longer shoots by up to one third. Do this in winter or straight after planting. Repeat in the second year if the plants still look a bit leggy.

How can I thicken my hedge?

Trimming a hedge in a wedge shape that is wider at the bottom will make it grow thicker by enabling more even regrowth. Cut back the hedge at the top to steer growth to the sides of your bushes and use organic fertiliser to encourage the plant's development.

When should I fertilize my beech hedge?

These should be fed in April or May to give them a little boost. An overdose of fertiliser could be damaging so easy does it! While you can plant a hedge any time of year, the best time to plant hedging is in the winter months as the plants are cheaper.

How do you thicken a hedge at the bottom?

The way to keep it thick at the bottom is to prune and shear it properly. If the bottom is shaded it will become sparse and the main cause of shaded bottom is cutting it wider at the top and thinner at the bottom. Start pruning your hedge in a wedge shape, wider at the bottom end and it will thicken up.

How do you renovate a beech hedge?

First, before cutting, it is a good idea to mulch your beech hedge well in the spring. Then, the following winter, you can really go to town. Reduce its height by up to half if the hedge is too tall. Take it down a bit more than you need to so there is fresh growth on top for you to trim later.

What is the best fertilizer for hedges?

We recommend a 6-7 month slow release fertilizer for most climates. Apex makes a 16-5-9 slow release 6-7 month release, which works great for our hedge varieties. In the Pacific Northwest, you can use a longer-release fertilizer of 8-9 months. For longer release, Osmocote Blend 18-5-12 is a great choice.

How do I make my Laurel bushier?

To prune laurel to encourage growth, we'd recommend trimming the branches and cutting them back several times a year (depending on how fast it grows) by up to a quarter. This makes the bush come back bushier and thicker than before more rapidly.

How far do beech tree roots spread?

Table below shows the Minimum Distance from property and Maximum root spread recorded

Beech	Fagus	Min – 9.0 metres
Ash	Fraxinus	Min – 10.0 metres
Horse Chestnut	Aesculus	Min – 10.0 metres
Elm	Ulmus	Min – 12.0 metres
Maple & Sycamore	Acer	Min – 12.0 metres

Is Beech Hedge good for wildlife?

Beech hedge plants can tolerate both sunny and partially shades sites, making it ideal for smaller gardens that may not get much sun exposure. ... Fagus sylvatica hedging offers huge wildlife value with the dense canopy of foliage making a fantastic shelter for nesting birds and small mammals such as hedgehogs.

How long does it take for a beech hedge to grow?

How fast will it grow? Beech will grow approximately 30-60cm (1-2ft) per year if it is given good conditions for growth.

Does pruning stimulate growth?

For the most part, pruning always stimulates growth, but how severe your pruning is on a plant depends on exactly what you want to happen. ... Severe pruning (or cutting way back) will result in vigorous growth for a plant, but light pruning will allow slower growth.

What is the quickest hedge to grow?

Leylandii - Green

Leylandii is a fast-growing hedge plant that has the quickest growth rate of approximately 75-90cm per year. Leylandii, also known as Cupressocyparis, is a stunning hedge plant that will add elegance to your garden.

How do you save a dying hedge?

By pruning out dead or diseased growth, regular watering and feeding and with a thick layer of mulch and compost, it is possible to nurture your hedge plants back to good health. And that is a wonderful thing to achieve.

When should a hedge be cut back hard?

Prune it back hard in April if it's getting too large. You can renovate a large hedge by cutting right back to the main trunk. Cut back the top in the first year, then one side of the hedge in the next year before finally cutting the other side in the third year.

Is it illegal to cut hedges when birds are nesting?

Regardless of ownership, no-one can trim or cut a hedge if the action damages active birds' nests, and hence violates the Wildlife and Countryside Act. If tall hedges or trees put your garden in the shade, you can cut off branches which overhang your boundary.

How far back can you trim hedges?

Deciduous, formal hedges (those pruned to a definite size and shape), such as privets, that become open and leggy also can be rejuvenated by pruning them back to within 4 to 6 inches of the ground in late winter/early spring.

What fertilizer is best for shrubs?

Research in woody plant nutrition has shown however that nitrogen is the element that yields the greatest growth response in trees and shrubs. For this reason, high nitrogen fertilizers with N-P-K ratios of 4-1-1, 3-1-1 or 3-1-2 are generally recommended for feeding established woody plants.

What plants should not be fertilized?

These include blueberries, gardenias, rhododendrons and citrus. Plants don't care if they get nutrients from organic or synthetic fertilizers, Miller noted.

What fertilizer encourages root growth?

Phosphorus potassium &Nitrogen are the essential nutrients to support root growth for plants. They encourage plants to put down a dense collection of new roots and strengthen existing roots as they develop. Phosphorus helps establish healthy root systems at the beginning of growth.

What is the best fertilizer for laurels?

When you are planting a new Laurel hedge we always recommend using bone meal, this is a natural organic fertiliser that should be well mixed with the soil. One kilo of bone meal will be sufficient for a 15 metres of hedge planting.

What months do laurels grow?

Bare-root laurel hedging plants can only be planted from November to March (i.e while the plants are dormant over the winter). Root-balled laurel are dug from the field with a ball of soil around the roots.

What is the fastest growing bush for privacy?

English laurel (or Cherry Laurel) can make an enormous fast-growing hedge. Under the right conditions, it can grow up to 3 feet per year! It does very well in heat. It has glossy evergreen foliage and makes a very attractive large hedge with regular pruning 1-2 times per year.