Forum home› Problem solving

can you make a free hedge?

Ritchard FreemanRitchard Freeman Posts: 17
in Problem solving
I have neighbour who's just cut down their hedge revelling several ugly out buildings. I have loads of hedging plants that need a good prune. Could any be used as cuttings to make a new hedge? Anything quick growing and free will do. I can replace in a few years with choice plants if I need to.
«1

Posts

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 86,078

    Lots of traditional hedging plants strike easily from cuttings - however cupressus-type hedging plants are more difficult to root.  What have you got?

    You need to bear in mind that any cuttings will take several years before they're large enough to screen buildings. 


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,391

    Hawthorn can be a bit reluctant from cuttings too - when I tried, success rate was only about 20%.  Let us know which hedging plants you already have and we'll be able to advise, as Dove said.

     

    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • flowering roseflowering rose Posts: 1,632

    yes, done it many times with,hazel,Hawthorn,lavender,Rosemary,and thing but laural.

  • Jim MacdJim Macd Posts: 750

    You're not really going to get instant hedging for free. The fastest growing things I'd recommend are willow and poplar. I wouldn't wish Cupressus types on anyone. Thankfully it's the ideal time to be buying bare root hedging. You might have to resort to some garden architecture to hide the out houses in the meantime. Some poles and white canvas (half moons cut into it to stop it being a sale) would certainly be instant and look a lot better than someone else's buildings. Failing that Russian vine on a trellis would do. Like the canvass; Poles and trellis up high so you can still walk underneath them, set forward from the fence until your more permanent hedge grows. They you get rid of the trellis and Russian vine.

    Also, I'm not sure how big it is when it arrives but you can buy willow fence that is essentially willo cuttings fixed like fence posts. It then grows to form a living fence. Not cheap though. 

     

  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,299

    If I were to go round all my neighbours and see what had seeded in their gardens, hawthorn, blackthorn, laurel, wayfaring tree, privet, hazel and many more. I could have a wellgrown hedge quite quickly just by digging them up. 

     



    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • Jim MacdJim Macd Posts: 750

    You've got lucky neighbours Nut. I wish you lived next door to me. image

  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,299

    We are a good group of neighbours apart from the  farmer. A lot of swapping of this for that goes on. 



    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • Ritchard FreemanRitchard Freeman Posts: 17
    Thanks for the help. I've got access to poplar, Hawthorn, ash, maple, hazel, willow forsythia. Not sure when to take cuttings and how. I'm thinking about now ish cut a load and push them into the ground. Surely some will take? Liking the Russian vine idea. Thanks Jim.
  • Tropical SamTropical Sam Posts: 1,488

    Hazel, Willow and Forsythia are simple as - just put them in the ground and they root - would be suprised at less than 50% success rate.

  • Woodgreen wonderboyWoodgreen wonderboy Posts: 2,322

    For a small hedge, box trimmings are so easy to strike. Strip off the lower leaves and put lots in a pot .. Leave for 3 months and they will root.

Sign In or Register to comment.