How to Grow Thorn Plants to Protect Property

Plant a starter thorn plant, such as barberry, hawthorn, thorny elaeagnus or firethorn, in an area with sun or semi-shade and good soil drainage.

Cut with pruning shears enough branch tips from the starter plant, each 4 to 6 inches long, to create one plant for every 4 feet of property line you wish to protect. If necessary, you can also take a long shoot and make it into several cuttings. Time your collection of the cuttings anytime year-round except in late spring and early summer, as hardwood cuttings do best after mid-July.

Remove the leaves from the lower one-third of the cutting. Place the lower third of the cutting right side up into the cutoff bottom of a waxed milk carton filled with 1 part peat moss and 1 part perlite. Moisten the potting mix. Cover the cuttings with a plastic bag and place them out of direct sun. Keep the potting mix moist until the cuttings root.

Transfer the cuttings into larger containers or a bed when they are a year old. Prune them severely during their first and second years to make them bushier.

Plant the rooted shrubs 4 feet apart at the edge of your property line to prevent trespassing. You can allow them to grow informally, lightly prune and shape them or prune them into a formal hedge.