Grisiliniea planting when very wet, and what spacing?

horizonuser · Hazel Tree Joined: 28 Jan 2008 Posts: 14

Hello,
I am just about to buy some grisilinea for the perimeter of my garden. I have a couple of questions I can't seem to find answers for and I was hoping some one could help!?

Firstly, my garden has very bad drainage and tends to by extremely wet during the winter and very hard and dry during the summer. If I plant the Grisiliniea now, when very wet, could this affect them taking?

Second, I can't seem to get a definitive answer on how many I need. They perimeter is around 600 feet. Some people are advising a hedge per 1.5 feet and some are saying 1 per 2 feet, any suggestions?

Lastly, I am a little concerned about how I should plant them. Should I just dig a small hole for each bare root hedge then place the hedge in it and return the soil or should I get topsoil or will compost do? Any suggestions on how far to dig down per hole?

Sorry for all the questions, I did read the post on how to plant a hedge in Ireland it didn't seem to be applicable to my garden.

Thanks in advance.

Sb · Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2008 2:03 pm Post subject:

If your soil is extremely wet during the winter and very hard and dry during the summer it sounds like it is heavy and sticky and could do with improving, so follow the tips in the planting a hedge post in hedging section of this forum. It worked real well for me.

BlackBird · Silver Birch Tree Joined: 25 Jan 2007 Posts: 165

Good advice from Sb.
Hello horizonuser, in the case of your soil type and because of the fact that the Griselinia plants are going to be planted at the correct 1 1/2 ft spacings, then I recommend you dig a planting trench. Into this you can mix all the soil improvers (compost, grit etc) with your existing topsoil. Dig it to 2ft deep if you can, but you will get away with 1ft especially if the going is tough.
When you think about it you will virtually be creating a trench anyway if you plant into individual holes 1 1/2ft apart. Whats another 1 1/2ft of digging per plant. Laughing

Of course you will see people planting bareroot hedging by simply sticking the spade into the soil, pulling it aside and popping in the plant. But in your case and with your soil, it is best to go the whole hog to ensure success.

AJ · Posted: Thu Jan 31, 2008 3:41 pm Post subject:

Hi Horizon user,

Planted some grisselina bare rooters myself in nov, typical builders top soil so dug in better stuff. When I planted I dug holes foot and a half deep added some compost, stuck them in at a foot apart and topped up with topsoil, So far so good, none have died yet Very Happy

. However the site is very exposed, some look a bit naked, but just a few, hoping this wont be a problem. was going to put up some wind break but the price was , I thought crazy, so decided to chance it, i have a few spare plants growing in tubs in case I need to replace some. I cant remember but someone told me to add fertilizer to the soil in march, 5 5 something or other and to cut out the growing tips in april, dont know if this is the right thing to do, maybe someone on the form could advise, Smile

the other thing i believe to do is to keep them well watered for the first year or so, again maybe someone can advise on this Question

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AJ

jashar99 · Hazel Tree Joined: 06 Jan 2008 Posts: 29 Location: Mayo

Hi Horizonuser,
I'm just after planting a bare root laurel hedge. like you the soil was really quite poor so with a pick and spade i spent 2 days digging a 2 ft deep and 1-2 ft wide trench. i had the plants sitting in water, though drying out isnt quite as much of problem at the moment i think. i went a foot apart per plant anf filled the soil with a mixture of compost i bought, compost from my compost bin and then topsoil over. i'll post pics as i also need advice. i think there is alot of sense in pruning the tips, perhaps someone could inform us. also i have to go back and use some canes to secure the plants which are 3 ft high approx. i think you'll gain more by improving the soil first

GPI · Posted: Fri Feb 01, 2008 10:17 am Post subject:

AJ and jashar99, there is a good case to be made for removing (clipping) the top inch or two of growth from freshly planted containerised and bare-root hedging. This technique is the same as pinching off the top of a lanky plant to induce bushiness. Topping a newly planted hedge will spur the plants on to produce more roots, side shoots and prevent a bare hedge bases.
In your case jashar99 it will mean the plants will be that slight bit shorter after topping, so the canes will not have to support as much. Very Happy

jashar99 · Hazel Tree Joined: 06 Jan 2008 Posts: 29 Location: Mayo

thanks again, i will post pics of how mine came out, also because i will be looking for some advice on some climbers

AJ · Posted: Fri Feb 01, 2008 9:00 pm Post subject:

Nice one GPI, Wink