Hedges That Grow No Taller Than Two Feet

Suitable Plants

• Ask in your local garden center for dwarf varieties of hedge plants that are suited to your local growing conditions. For example, Buxus microphylla koreana "Korean Boxwood" grows to 2 feet and thrives in shady locations down to temperatures of -35 degrees Fahrenheit. For a fragrant hedge, consider rosemary or lovage. Some hedge plants, such as Viburnum opulus Nanum "dwarf European cranberry" will even produce an edible crop every year. For a flowering hedge, consider low growing varieties of hydrangea or rose.

Planting a Low Hedge

• Plant hedges in spring to allow them an entire growing season to develop. Dig a planting trench that runs the length of your planned hedge. Make it as deep as the root system of the plants you are using and 18 inches wide. Space your hedge plants 6 to 8 inches apart in two rows 12 inches apart. Stagger the plants in the rows so that no plant is directly opposite another. Cut back deciduous plants to within 6 inches of the ground straight after planting.

Low Hedge Care

• Cover the ground under your hedge with a layer of organic mulch at least 3 inches deep. This conserves moisture and keeps down weeds. Water when the surface of the soil is dry to the touch. Apply 1 pound of balanced granular fertilizer per 5 yards of hedge during the spring if your hedge is not growing vigorously.

Low Hedge Pruning

• Cut back your hedge plants by 6 inches once they have grown by a foot. Keep the bottom of the hedge as wide as or slightly wider than the top to prevent it from being overshadowed and becoming weak. Prune back new growth before it reaches 6 inches in length. Trim an established hedge after the first flush of spring growth and again in the fall.