To keep them from looking scrappy you should do one major cut back a year at the end of summer and a minor trim to keep them near and tidy in February. It is important not to cut your hedges too early – wait until the late summer. This will allow your beech to keep its recent flush of new leaves over the winter.
Can I cut my beech hedge in January?
If you need to prune out a branch for any reason, do this in winter when the tree is dormant. We have a great selection of bareroot beech hedge plants for planting between November and March and potted plants for summer delivery.
How do you take care of hedges in the winter?
Prune in the winter
Ideally, hedges should be pruned in late winter, when plants are dormant and haven’t produced buds—particularly if you’re cutting back drastically. “You don’t want them to break bud before you prune because you want the plant’s energy to go toward producing new growth where you want it,” says Roger.
How fast does beech hedge grow?
Beech hedging is a relatively fast grower, achieving around 30-60cm per annum.
When should you not cut a beech hedge? – Related Questions
What is the best time of year to plant a beech hedge?
We are often asked this question – from a horticultural point of view the very best time to plant almost all Beech hedge plants (especially bare roots and rootballs) is in late Autumn or early Winter.
How long does a beech hedge last?
Beech hedging is a resilient and robust hedging type that can easily live for a hundred years without too much care or maintenance.
How can I make my beech hedge grow faster?
Beech aren’t heavy feeders. But if you wish to speed up growth, perhaps so a hedge provides screening more quickly for example, apply a general-purpose fertiliser such as Growmore or blood, fish and bone no earlier than the second spring after planting.
How long does it take to grow a 6ft hedge?
Hedges might take three to seven years to attain their desired size. You can buy semi-mature hedges which, although costly, will give an instant hedge.
How far apart should you plant beech hedging?
To grow beech as a hedge, space plants from 25-45cm apart, depending on plant size and how quickly you want to achieve a dense hedge. For quick results, plant in a double staggered row with 30cm between the two rows. Plant into well-cultivated weed-free ground, at the same depth as the plant was growing previously.
Is a beech hedge good for privacy?
Beech hedging (Fagus sylvatica) is a beautiful year-round hedge that provides a fantastic alternative to evergreen hedging. Typically, beech hedging should grow by around 30cm per year, making it a perfect privacy hedge for any garden.
What are the disadvantages of beech?
Disadvantages: – It is not suitable for permanent outdoor use because it is not durable when exposed to changes in moisture. It can be heavy because it is so dense and may be difficult to work. Uses: – Kitchen surface tops, indoor chairs, floors, wooden toys, plywood and turned products.
How do I make my beech hedge bushy?
Regularly pruning and trimming beech hedges encourages more branches and leaves to grow. This translates to a fuller hedge with fewer gaps or bald spots. Likewise, pruning at the correct time of year allows beech hedge plants to retain their foliage throughout the winter.
Do beech hedges have deep roots?
Beech is very shallow rooted in the first couple of years after planting. In year 1 in particular, if there is a dry week PLEASE WATER YOUR HEDGE.
Can I cut beech hedge in October?
After the summer growth spurt, deciduous hedges, like beech and hornbeam, need to be pruned before the leaves change colour and fall. September is the best month to do it.
How do you fill a gap in a beech hedge?
For deciduous hedges such as beech and hawthorn, you are best to the winter and obtain bare root or root-wrapped plants to instantly fill the gaps in the autumn, plants can be planted in the spring and summer as pot plants but are normally more expensive.
Is beech a good hedge?
Beech hedging plants have a huge range of benefits including privacy and screening properties, wind and noise reduction, and the ability to be grown as either a formal hedge or left with a more natural aesthetic.
Why is my beech hedge turning brown?
A: That’s most likely leaf scorch. I’ve seen a lot of tricolor beeches do that in full-sun and windy locations. Young ones are especially prone to it since their root systems aren’t developed enough to keep up with the water demands of the foliage.
Do beech trees keep their leaves all winter?
American beech trees, like a few other trees, hang onto their leaves regardless of the season. Have you noticed a tree around town that holds its brown leaves all winter instead of dropping them? There’s a term for this curious leaf-retention phenomenon. It’s called marcescence.