- Red beech hedges are absolutely hardy
- Why a mulch layer makes sense in winter
- Never let beech hedges dry out in winter
- Cut beech hedges to a point
Red beech hedges are hardy. They easily survive minus temperatures down to minus 30 degrees. Nevertheless, it makes sense to provide a mulch layer in autumn. Occasional watering is also advisable in dry winters.
Frost and snow cannot harm the beech hedge
Red beech hedges are absolutely hardy
European beeches are native to Central Europe and are therefore used to cold winters. They also tolerate very low temperatures over long periods of time.
Basically, you don't have to prepare older, well-established beech hedges for the winter.
However, you should definitely cover freshly planted hedges with a mulch cover in the first few years. Young beeches need some time to develop sufficient roots with which they can take care of themselves in winter.
Why a mulch layer makes sense in winter
Mulch layers have proven very useful for beech hedges in winter for several reasons: You
- protect the soil from drying out
- prevent weed emergence
- offer shelter to useful garden dwellers
- provide the soil with new nutrients
All compostable materials are suitable for mulching. You can mulch it with fall leaves, lawn clippings, yard waste, compost, or straw. But make sure that there are no inflorescences in the material and that all parts are healthy and not infested with pests.
Never let beech hedges dry out in winter
Red beech hedges do not tolerate complete drought. This can become a problem in winters with little rain or a long-lasting dense snow cover.
If it is dry for a long time, water the beech hedge once. Use a frost-free day to water.
Cut beech hedges to a point
In areas with a lot of snow, beech hedges often suffer from snow breakage. The branches simply snap off due to the weight of the snow. The red beeches recover from this, but they are not so pretty to look at in the first few years.
Always cut beech hedges so that they taper to a point at the top. As a result, the snow can simply slide off and does not weigh down the branches of the beech hedge.
The last pruning should be done in August. Cutting the hedge before winter is not advisable.
tips
Beech hedges only lose a few leaves in autumn. The foliage usually stays on until spring. The fallen leaves are a natural fertilizer if they are allowed to remain under the hedge.