[mrsparkle]

With my plots previous tenants removing the hedgerow from my plot i've.had to waste my winter digging and weeding the soil to plant a new hawthorn hedge.

To make matters more difficult my soil is heavy, filled with bindweed and raspberry bushes that have spread from my neighbours abandoned plot and now I read freezing weather is heading back our way.


Does anyone think my new hedge will grow or has this been a waste of time?  Should I have been turning my seed beds instead and clearing them of the millions of stones they harbour.

Mark

[joyfull]

they should be dormant now so it is the right time to plant hedging and trees. Just make sure you firmed the ground up around the roots so that there is no air pockets and you will be fine. In spring they should start to show signs of growing 

[mrsparkle]

That's great news! I thoroughly stamped the soil around the roots firmly and the were planted under mulch mats to offer extra protection.

Only 15m to go. Hope it stays dry to make weeding easier.

[fatcat1955]

Best hawthorn hedges are made by "laying" the hedge. Bit daunting to do but google it and see what you think.

[joyfull]

it needs a few years of growing before you start laying, I love hedgelaying - did it at agriculture college many years ago 

[andy135]

Hawthorn is tough as old boots. I have it around my front garden. If I remember correctly it provides shelter to 119 different species of wildlife. 

[mrsparkle]

I found a video by ashridge nursey on youtube that advised me to plant and then cut back by half to encourage growth lower down the plant and create a thicker hedge lower down.

I hope that this will not have killed the plant

[aelf]

I was given some hawthorn whips (about 50) 5 years ago. they had been heeled in by the last owner in a bundle and forgotton about for 2 years before I got them. Took ages to untangle the roots but my 6 foot high hedge shows they all made it! 

Very hardy plants, hawthorns are 

[mrsparkle]

Brilliant!  Just what I wanted to hear. Thank you