Traditional Hedging

Planting

• The placement of hedges is essential when you are attempting to achieve a traditional appearance. Since traditional hedges are grown in rows, prepare a trench for your planting rather than individual holes. Depth and distance are determined by the species you plant. Tall, columnar hedges like white fir and European hornbean are spaced 6 feet apart at planting but will eventually grow and meet as they mature. Smaller hedges like Japanese yew or dwarf boxwood can be double planted to create a mature, dense hedge. Plant two rows that are spaced 12 inches from one another. Plant the shrubs in a staggered pattern. As the hedges grow they will provide a thick, dense screen.

Pruning

• Creating a dense, lush hedge takes some time and skill. It can take up to six years before a hedge takes on a traditional flat-topped, sloped-side appearance. The first year you will have to hard prune your hedge back to one third of its growth. This helps the shrub achieve a full, dense form. You will continue cutting back one third of its growth each year but by the third year you will begin to see the cuts taking shape. Slope sides upward and leave a broad base. This protects the shrub from top-heavy damage and is especially important in regions where heavy winter snow dominates the landscape. Trim the top of the shrub flush with the sides. Within six years the hedge will have the traditional shape and the height you desire.

Care and Maintenance

• Mature hedges should be pruned annually, usually in early spring before the first flush of growth, although a second trimming in autumn may be necessary. Thin bushes periodically, every two to three years to prevent inner branches from dying back or harboring disease. Ensure your hedges receive adequate water. Water should be applied deeply every one to two weeks during the growing season and soil should be moist to a depth of 12 inches. Avoid siting your hedges in areas where they will stand in water. This kind of growing situation presents root problems and disease. Traditional hedges, when maintained well, can last for decades on a residential property.

Considerations

• Choose traditional hedges that suit your growing conditions and lifestyle. Deciduous shrubs provide screens during the summer but in the winter months their bare stems and branches can be displeasing. Try trimming these bushes with an eye toward density. Dense bare branches are able to provide privacy year round. Broad leafed evergreens and narrow leaf evergreens are good choices for privacy and sound screens. They require little pruning after maturation.