Privet, hornbeam or a colorful natural hedge: the green fence is only attractive if it is cared for and trimmed regularly. You will be rewarded for your effort with healthy and densely growing shrubs without bare spots or yellowed foliage.
Hedges need to be trimmed regularly to stay in shape
What care do hedges need?
Once the hedge has been created, the maintenance effort is limited:
- During longer periods of drought, you should water deciduous plants in particular regularly. This also applies to evergreen shrubs during the winter months, since the plants evaporate a lot of liquid on sunny days despite low temperatures.
- Fertilize twice a year before and after the growth phase. However, do not fertilize too late in the year, as the bushes will then continue to sprout, be surprised by frost and damaged by the cold.
- The leaves of healthy shrubs that fall in autumn should be left lying around. This mulch layer naturally fertilizes the soil and ensures optimal growing conditions.
- You should occasionally loosen the soil so that it does not compact too much.
Which fertilizers are suitable for hedges?
In order to activate the nutrient cycle, it is advisable to fertilize organically. The following fertilizers are well suited for hedge plantings:
- Compost: This improves the soil and ensures an even distribution of air, water, temperature and nutrients.
- Horn meal/horn shavings: (32.93€) These are obtained from the hooves and horns of slaughtered cattle. The finely ground horn meal supplies the nutrients, mainly nitrogen and phosphate, faster than the slowly converting horn shavings.
- Organic complete fertilizers: These contain a combination of different biological substances. The nutrient content is tailored to specific plant species.
Alternatively, you can use mineral fertilizers such as blue grain.
Regular cuts
Without pruning, hedges would sprout vigorously at the base, but bare towards the top. The bushes should therefore be cut at least once a year from the year after they are planted.
Fast-growing plants such as field maple, barberry or hornbeam even have to be shaped twice a year. A slightly trapezoidal shape is recommended so that the lower areas of densely grown enclosures also get light.
tips
In order to protect breeding birds and other animals, according to the Federal Nature Conservation Act, between March 1st and September 30th hedges may not be severely trimmed or even put back on the stick.