On 10/25/2013 7:50 PM, W wrote:
What is the minimum spacing you can use between plants in a hedge made of
Photinia Red Robin? I want to be aggressive about this and I want to
maximize the density of the hedge. I am willing to have the health of
individual plants be sub optimal if that means the hedge overall will be
denser.


'Red Robin' appears to be a variety within P. fraseri, about half the
size of the usual 'Birmingham'. Since 'Birmingham' can grow 10-15 feet
high and equally wide, that would make 'Red Robin' 5-7 feet high and
again equally wide. Thus, I would not plant them closer than 3 feet
apart.

If you want a really dense hedge, stagger them while maintaining a 3
foot spacing, as follows:
x x x x

x x x x
The rows are NOT 3 feet apart, and the shrubs are NOT 3 feet apart in
each row. Instead, the first plant in the second row is 3 diagonal feet
from the first plant in the first row; and the second plant in the first
row is 3 diagonal feet from the first plant in the scond row; etc.

If you stagger them with the rows closer together
x x x x
x x x x
the spacing in each row increases, requiring fewer shrubs for the length
of hedge.

Since none of the Photinia look good if sheared, the informal appearance
of a staggered hedge will complement the irregular growth of each shrub.


--
David E. Ross
http://www.rossde.com/

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