Good morning. I am new to the group so please forgive any stupidity or
omitted information in the following questions:

I had a Lawson Cypress hedge removed 3 winters ago and the remaining
stumps gone over with a stump grinder. I say hedge, but the largest
trunk was over 12" in diameter so row of trees might be more accurate.
The tree were, according to the neighbours at least 25 years old.

Nothing has been done to the ground since the trees were felled.

I am going to replant the hedge with a variety of trees and have
successfully applied to the Free Tree Scheme. Thus I will be receiving
75 mixed trees - none more than 80 cm high (are these called whips?)- in
early December.

What should I do - or should I have done - to prepare the ground for
planting. I intend planting in 3 parallel rows and staggering the
varieties along the rows.

All of my previous tree and hedge planting has been either in woodland
to replace gaps or planting new hedges along the edges of fields.

FWIW I'm at the bottom of a chalk downland slope and the soil is heavy
and can be damp. The chalky soil starts about 2' below the clay-ey
surface. The hedge will be running north to south and on the east side
of a 6' fence.

A few of the trees will be planted in the north facing front garden
where the soil is much lighter, but still quite damp.


TIA


Richard

The message
from Richard Savage contains these words:

Good morning. I am new to the group so please forgive any stupidity or
omitted information in the following questions:

I had a Lawson Cypress hedge removed 3 winters ago and the remaining
stumps gone over with a stump grinder. I say hedge, but the largest
trunk was over 12" in diameter so row of trees might be more accurate.
The tree were, according to the neighbours at least 25 years old.

Nothing has been done to the ground since the trees were felled.

I am going to replant the hedge with a variety of trees and have
successfully applied to the Free Tree Scheme. Thus I will be receiving
75 mixed trees - none more than 80 cm high (are these called whips?)- in
early December.

What should I do - or should I have done - to prepare the ground for
planting. I intend planting in 3 parallel rows and staggering the
varieties along the rows.

All of my previous tree and hedge planting has been either in woodland
to replace gaps or planting new hedges along the edges of fields.

FWIW I'm at the bottom of a chalk downland slope and the soil is heavy
and can be damp. The chalky soil starts about 2' below the clay-ey
surface. The hedge will be running north to south and on the east side
of a 6' fence.

A few of the trees will be planted in the north facing front garden
where the soil is much lighter, but still quite damp.

I think you've supplied enough info - and maybe ten times more than many
new posters.

Welcome to a new Urgler.

It rather depends on whether you want a quick-growing hedge that will
grow into a skinny belt of trees, or whether you are going to maintain
it as a hedge.

If you want vigorous growth, you'll need to improve the soil with humus
of some sort, and with a fertiliser, for instance, bonemeal, or bone,
blood and fish.

Bonemeal by itself should be incorporated with the soil at the bottom of
the trench/individual pit before planting, bone, blood and fish is
better (IMO) higher - amongst the roots and just beneath them.

Keep the roots well-supplied with water for the first year at least. You
may need to protect the whips from rabbits (and maybe, deer), and
forestry suppliers sell coils of plastic trunk-protector, but if you are
troubled by deer, you might benefit from an electric fence and its
associated sheep-netting.

--
Rusty
Direct reply to: horrid dot squeak snailything zetnet point co period uk
Separator in search of a sig

The Free Tree Scheme sounds interesting - I must Google it.
The grindings from the stumps should be well-rotted by now and will have put some goodness into the ground, but I agree with Rusty on prep.
The other problem with new hedges is weeding, where you can damage the roots of the whips when they are young. If the ground is weed-free I'd consider a weed-suppressing membrane and planting the whips thro it and then mulching with bark chips or something to cover it up.
It you click on the "hedge" tag at the top of the page there are lots of posts which might be useful.

Rusty_Hinge wrote:


I think you've supplied enough info - and maybe ten times more than many
new posters.

Welcome to a new Urgler.

It rather depends on whether you want a quick-growing hedge that will
grow into a skinny belt of trees, or whether you are going to maintain
it as a hedge.

If you want vigorous growth, you'll need to improve the soil with humus
of some sort, and with a fertiliser, for instance, bonemeal, or bone,
blood and fish.

Bonemeal by itself should be incorporated with the soil at the bottom of
the trench/individual pit before planting, bone, blood and fish is
better (IMO) higher - amongst the roots and just beneath them.

Keep the roots well-supplied with water for the first year at least. You
may need to protect the whips from rabbits (and maybe, deer), and
forestry suppliers sell coils of plastic trunk-protector, but if you are
troubled by deer, you might benefit from an electric fence and its
associated sheep-netting.


Thank you.

My desire is for a quick growing replacement hedge in the back garden
(next to the fence) that I can maintain at about 7' high.

I'd better do a bit of soil prep!

Our only visitors are foxes and birds.

It occurred to me after submitting the original post that I have
pictures of the area in question. I have now placed them he

http://richard2808.fotopic.net/c1614723.html

Rgds

Richard

"Richard Savage" wrote in message
...
Rusty_Hinge wrote:


Thank you.

My desire is for a quick growing replacement hedge in the back garden
(next to the fence) that I can maintain at about 7' high.

I'd better do a bit of soil prep!

Our only visitors are foxes and birds.

It occurred to me after submitting the original post that I have pictures
of the area in question. I have now placed them he

http://richard2808.fotopic.net/c1614723.html


Rusty forgets the old adage - one picture tells a story better than a
thousand words !
Your hedge idea is presumably to combat your view of the new fence.
Why not live with its benefits and use it to grow climbers and creepers
instead.
They will produce "greener" benefits far better and quicker.
than any freestanding hedge that will struggle in this position.
BTW - I would also be considering the future of the conifers that remain.
Perhaps your hedging whips would be better employed at the bottom of your
garden !

Regards
Pete
www.thecanalshop.com

The message
from Janet Conroy contains
these words:


The Free Tree Scheme sounds interesting - I must Google it.
The grindings from the stumps should be well-rotted by now and will
have put some goodness into the ground, but I agree with Rusty on
prep.
The other problem with new hedges is weeding, where you can damage the
roots of the whips when they are young. If the ground is weed-free I'd
consider a weed-suppressing membrane and planting the whips thro it and
then mulching with bark chips or something to cover it up.
It you click on the "hedge" tag at the top of the page there are lots
of posts which might be useful.

This is Urg, not gardenbanter.

Gardenbanter is a web forum or something like that.

What you see on your computer is a nicked newsgroup. Why not subscribe
to a news server and get the newsgroup all fresh and green?

You know it makes scents...

--
Rusty
Direct reply to: horrid dot squeak snailything zetnet point co period uk
Separator in search of a sig

The message
from "Pete Stockdale" contains these words:

Rusty forgets the old adage - one picture tells a story better than a
thousand words !

No I don't. I didn't have a picture to look at, even supposing I was
going to look at it.

Your hedge idea is presumably to combat your view of the new fence.
Why not live with its benefits and use it to grow climbers and creepers
instead.
They will produce "greener" benefits far better and quicker.
than any freestanding hedge that will struggle in this position.

Nonsense! On my smallholding I had freestanding hedges. Thye location
was on a ridge, and there was no higher land than my elevation between
me and the Urals.

--
Rusty
Direct reply to: horrid dot squeak snailything zetnet point co period uk
Separator in search of a sig

"Rusty_Hinge" wrote in message
k...

Nonsense! On my smallholding I had freestanding hedges. Thye location
was on a ridge, and there was no higher land than my elevation between
me and the Urals.


I do not doubt that at all but I doubt that they were competing at birth
with a fence of this magnitude.
Now if the fence could be replaced with a light permeable stock type fence
then things would be far more possible.

Regards
Pete
www.thecanalshop.com

Jeanne Stockdale wrote:



I do not doubt that at all but I doubt that they were competing at birth
with a fence of this magnitude.
Now if the fence could be replaced with a light permeable stock type fence
then things would be far more possible.

Regards
Pete
www.thecanalshop.com



Unfortunately the fence was a 'sop' to the neighbours. They were
_really_ pleased with the removal of the Lawsons, but didn't like the
'wide open' back gardens that resulted.

Richard

Janet Conroy wrote:
The Free Tree Scheme sounds interesting - I must Google it.

Ours was run by Kent Free Trees Scheme. Not much info in the booklet.
There might be some he www.nwkent-countryside.org.uk Or call Kent
County Council on 08458 247 600


The grindings from the stumps should be well-rotted by now and will
have put some goodness into the ground, but I agree with Rusty on
prep.
The other problem with new hedges is weeding, where you can damage the
roots of the whips when they are young. If the ground is weed-free I'd
consider a weed-suppressing membrane and planting the whips thro it and
then mulching with bark chips or something to cover it up.
It you click on the "hedge" tag at the top of the page there are lots
of posts which might be useful.





Yep I'll be planting through black plastic or similar.

Richard

Pete Stockdale wrote:

Why not live with its benefits and use it to grow climbers and creepers
instead.
They will produce "greener" benefits far better and quicker.
than any freestanding hedge that will struggle in this position.

In the short term we may plant Honeysuckle/Golden Hop/suggestions? to
cover the top of the fence

BTW - I would also be considering the future of the conifers that remain.

Strange as it might seem I rather like the huge conifers!

Perhaps your hedging whips would be better employed at the bottom of your
garden !

Of the four you can see in the photo entitled ....'May_2006'; counting
from the left: the two on the left are mine with the second at the point
where the new fence and the hedge across the end of the garden meet.
Numbers 3 and 4 belong to my neighbour.


Regards
Pete
www.thecanalshop.com



Richard

"Richard Savage" wrote in message
...
Why not live with its benefits and use it to grow climbers and creepers
instead.
They will produce "greener" benefits far better and quicker.
than any freestanding hedge that will struggle in this position.

In the short term we may plant Honeysuckle/Golden Hop/suggestions? to
cover the top of the fence

BTW - I would also be considering the future of the conifers that remain.

Strange as it might seem I rather like the huge conifers!

Perhaps your hedging whips would be better employed at the bottom of your
garden !

Of the four you can see in the photo entitled ....'May_2006'; counting
from the left: the two on the left are mine with the second at the point
where the new fence and the hedge across the end of the garden meet.
Numbers 3 and 4 belong to my neighbour.


I would have thought that these obstructed what appears to be a nice view-
can't see it all though from your photos though.
I am not qualified enough to suggest "fence loving" plants.
Apart from the Scots pine - conifers shoud be banned to forests.IMHO !
Hopefully some plantsperson will come along shortly to advise on some plants
that will like your fence.

Regards

Pete
www.thecanalshop.com

The message
from " Jeanne Stockdale" contains these words:
"Rusty_Hinge" wrote in message
k...

Nonsense! On my smallholding I had freestanding hedges. Thye location
was on a ridge, and there was no higher land than my elevation between
me and the Urals.


I do not doubt that at all but I doubt that they were competing at birth
with a fence of this magnitude.
Now if the fence could be replaced with a light permeable stock type fence
then things would be far more possible.

Again - nonsense!

A fence is little or no competition - indeed, it will shelter the whips
on whichever side of it they are planted. The whips will reach for the
sun, and the only problem I can see is that foliage will be sparser
lower down the hedge.

Maybe the best plan would be to allow the hedge to become established
and then either remove the fence, or cut it down a bit. (Always assuming
it's the OP's fence, of course.)

Your stock-type fence would be ideal, of course, but not imperative.

--
Rusty
Direct reply to: horrid dot squeak snailything zetnet point co period uk
Separator in search of a sig

The message
from Richard Savage contains these words:
Jeanne Stockdale wrote:

I do not doubt that at all but I doubt that they were competing at birth
with a fence of this magnitude.
Now if the fence could be replaced with a light permeable stock type
fence
then things would be far more possible.

Unfortunately the fence was a 'sop' to the neighbours. They were
_really_ pleased with the removal of the Lawsons, but didn't like the
'wide open' back gardens that resulted.

Well, it can come down in a year or two, and you can build a magnificent
shed with it...

--
Rusty
Direct reply to: horrid dot squeak snailything zetnet point co period uk
Separator in search of a sig

The message
from Richard Savage contains these words:
Pete Stockdale wrote:

Why not live with its benefits and use it to grow climbers and creepers
instead.
They will produce "greener" benefits far better and quicker.
than any freestanding hedge that will struggle in this position.

In the short term we may plant Honeysuckle/Golden Hop/suggestions? to
cover the top of the fence

Evergreen honeysuckle, clematis, grape vines, self-fertile Actinidia
(Chinese gooseberry) to name but a few.

BTW - I would also be considering the future of the conifers that remain.

Strange as it might seem I rather like the huge conifers!

Driving back home through Sussex, Kent and that hole under the Thames, I
saw an absolutely stunning cypress - it had racemes of pale purple
flowers...

As I drew nearer I saw that it had a wisteria growing through it.

Perhaps your hedging whips would be better employed at the bottom of your
garden !

Of the four you can see in the photo entitled ....'May_2006'; counting
from the left: the two on the left are mine with the second at the point
where the new fence and the hedge across the end of the garden meet.
Numbers 3 and 4 belong to my neighbour.

But with permission, you could still invade those with wisteria...

--
Rusty
Direct reply to: horrid dot squeak snailything zetnet point co period uk
Separator in search of a sig