Hedgerow planting

jessicakelnarjU60Y2aI

Hi all!

I planted a native hedgerow a couple of months ago (a whole mix of things such as hawthorn and hazel) and despite the mulch I’ve put around it I’m having a real problem with weeds coming up to choke the young hedge plants (3 ft saplings) so I’d really like to  plant a wild flower seed mix around it to cover the ground and deter the more aggressive weeds. It’s in full sun most of the day. 

Would planting wild flowers there cause a problem for the hedgerow plants? Any advice you can give would be really appreciated

Jess

jonathan.cole

Unfortunately the wildflowers will either be similarly aggressive as the weeds or else probably fail to stop the weeds.

When we planted our native hedge the most successful approach was clearing the ground (done before planting) then cardboard with wood-chip on top to mulch.

If weeds are coming up through the mulch it would probably benefit from being raked back, weeds cleared, cardboard putting down and replacing mulch.

Wayside

How long a run is this?  Use barks and/or aggregates.  Or routinely pick them out.  It's this time of year, when everything runs away.  It's easily pulled before it gets a proper foothold.

gerard mcmanus

I'd cut the light outwith a weed barrier until the hedges are more exstablished, then they will do that job for you.

I have a 6ft fatsia japonica in my front garden, and have to cut is back each year. A customer of mine, bought one, but it was struggling at 1ft tall, in amongst well established border plants like primula, so heavy planting around a young tree may not do it good.

robairdmacraignil

I agree with the comments already added that a wildflower mix is unlikely to do much to suppress weeds growing in your new hedge row. If the mulch is not working I reckon you probably just have to put the time into weeding the area a few times over the first year while the hedge plants get established. This weeding will be faster if you don't have to worry about protecting wildflowers and if you do like wildflowers you might find some naturally growing when digging the weeds out and you could just replant these or avoid them and leave them continue growing.

The 100metre mixed hedge I am after planting this year got a bad start and the weeds were not killed off properly before it was planted so had to put major effort into digging out the grass, dock leaf, thistles, etc. that were starting to out grow the young hedge plants. The herbicide used to prepare the area was only applied after it was grazed so many weed plants and grass had no leaf area to take in the herbicide and so were ready to regrow once the weather warmed up. A wide headed pick called a mattock is useful for sod removal but if you are quick enough and catch the weeds when small the use of a hoe would be less damaging to the hedge plants. I found some clover, dead nettle and bird's foot trefoil that I regard as wildflowers and left continue growing in places but I will need to run over the area another few times before the end of the year and this year the hedge plants bought were poorer quality than I would have liked.

After the first year the roots of the hedge plants will be more established so weeding in this way could cause more harm than good and the hedge plants once grown to be taller than the weed competition should eventually out grow them. I still clip down some of the larger weeds when it is no longer possible to dig up their roots without doing too much damage to the hedge. Here is a video clip showing my progress on a hedge that is now three years in the ground and doing well.

Happy gardening!

jessicakelnarjU60Y2aI

Thanks for all these replies, they’re super helpful! I’m feeling much more motivated now that i have an idea what to do, thanks again!