Hedge - what should I plant?

catembi

catembi

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I want to plant a hedgerow to reinforce my post & rail & provide some shelter. We're on sandy soil (inland). What should I plant? I want something that grows fairly fast & isn't either poisonous or too yummy. I know I'll have to electric fence it off until it's established or it will just get eaten.

Any hints & tips greatly appreciated.
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I have been thinking of doing the same thing but I am in Devon. Most of our hedges are Beech so I was thinking of using that. My husband planted a Beech hedge around a pond where we lived before but we moved before it really got established so I don't know what it turned out like.
 
hawthorne is the best hedging .we have tried planting other species so have different plants dotted about but haw is the most reliable.

OH is always planting every year.we put them in in the autumn and bought the last lot off the internet.
we buy them in 100 bundles,the more you buy,the cheaper it is.
we always plant more than we think we need because the deer(?) eat some and pull them up.once they have been in a year and have some root they will prob be ok.

it takes about 5 or 6 years to get a decent hedge and if you snip the top in the spring, it thickens it up.

edited to say,i think it not the right time of year just now.
 
We have planted around 300m of hedging over the past two winters and would agree that hawthorn is very good, however hedges with just one plant don't blend in imo so we have used quite a variety to tie in the missing sections with existing hedge. around 50% hawthorn, 10% blackthorn, and the rest hazel, ash (which grows really fast, but the horses love to eat it!) snap willow, hornbean, guelder rose and crab apple.

I would have thought hazel would do best and grow the fastest in your sandy soil.
 
Wow, lots of great ideas! Sounds like I'd better wait til Autumn though. I have enough trouble being bothered to water my hanging baskets, let alone a mile of hedge plants, and our field is extremely dry til Autumn.

I will def have a look on e bay nearer the time. I will also print this for reference.
 
Check with your local council. Here in Lincolnshire they will fund half the cost of planting hedgerows. They even come out free to advise you on what would be good for your area. This includes trees as well. Well worth asking.
 
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