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Willow hedging

Bee GBee G Posts: 33
in Plants
Hi! I'm getting cold feet over the planting of 15 bare root Salix Alba Chermesina which I ordered weeks ago and have now arrived! The idea is to get some privacy from next door and we would intend keeping on top of them so they don't grow too big. I wonder if anyone else has them as hedging and could offer any advice/tips/photos. Many thanks indeed!

Posts

  • treehugger80treehugger80 Posts: 1,923
    once they're rooted they'll stick 20 feet + of growth on per year (out as well as up), unless you want to spend every weekend in the growing season cutting it back i would reconsider as a boundary
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 29,829
    I hope you have damp soil as they will suck up moisture at phenomenal rates even if kept clipped as a hedge.   If you turn your back on them they'll get to 20m high in no time.

    However, I have seen willow "fedges" where they stems are planted diagonally at 9" intervals and woven into each other like diamond trellis panels and they work very well but need regular clipping and pruning.   

    https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=588 
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw
  • Bee GBee G Posts: 33
    Eek!! Many thanks for your comments. I've seen the woven hedges-will look further into that and see if may be something i could manage, before I do anything rash....like plant them!!
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 29,829
    Are the neighbours nosy or just unfriendly?  Or do you just want privacy? 

    I'd have thought a beech or hornbeam hedge would be much easier to manage and hawthorn would be good for wildlife and keeping out unwanted intrusions.   A mix would be good for wildlife too.  On the other hand, if you like willow weaving with fresh withies then your salix alba will be perfect for fresh crops each year..
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw
  • Bee GBee G Posts: 33
    Just privacy Obelixx.  They had an overzealous 'gardener' completely decimate all the plants and shrubs in their garden this year and we're feeling very overlooked. I wanted something fast growing, but maybe not quite as fast lol! I wonder if just planting 1or 2 might be more manageable but still have the desired result...
  • ButtercupdaysButtercupdays Posts: 4,495
    Maybe 4 and coppice alternate ones  on alternate years?
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 29,829
    One of the first laws of gardening - Anything that grows fast is going to be  a thug unless you keep it well maintained and tamed.

    If you coppice each year you will have the same prolem of lack of privacy after they've been cut each winter.  If you don't coppice them you'll have 20' high and wide trees by the end of summer and, assuming they're on the boundary, some very unhappy neighbours.

    I strongly advise a fedge using your whips or some basket weaving to make hurdles or plant supports.

    Something else you should consider is that the neighbours' shrubs will grow back this coming spring, probably with a vengeance, so I suggest you wait and see what does grow back and then plant shrubs to fill any gaps.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw
  • Bee GBee G Posts: 33
    Thank you for the advice, it's very much appreciated. I'm going to pop a couple in large pots and see how that goes. May then have something manageable but pretty and can move around to fill gaps. I'll pass the rest on x
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