How
many plants do I need for a hedge
This will depend on why you want to create a hedge
- is it for a border, to define an area of your
garden or land, is to to act as a screen to block
something unpleasant from view and enhance the
privacy of your garden, or perhaps you're looking
to create a hedge to restrain livestock? Another
consideration is the speed with which you want
your hedge to become established, and for it to
fulfil the function you envisage for its future.
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These
factors will, to some extent, determine the species
of plant you use to create your hedge, and that
too will have a bearing on how many individual
plants you will need. Some are more decorative,
while others are more effective in forming a visual
or physical barrier. Some varieties are more vigorous
and fast growing, and you may also need to take
into account whether you want a deciduous hedge
(one that loses its leaves in the Winter) or an
evergreen. Once you have given some thought to
all these variables, give us a phone call or email
our hedging specialist and we'll be happy to assist
in the rest of the process. Ask to speak to Tim
Shardlow, Mike
Tustin and Niel
Nicholson, or click on their names
here to send an email direct to one or other of
them.
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What
species are in a Saxon Hedge?
The Saxon Hedge is the name now given to what
is often considered to be the traditional English
rural hedgerow. There is no hard and fast rule
about the plant species that should be used, and
it may vary from region to region anyway, but
we tend to recommend a mix consisting of 60% Hawthorn
and 40% mixed native shrubs (such as Blackthorn,
Guelder Rose, Spindle, Dogwood, Field Maple etc).
We would suggest a mix of at least four or five
different species of shrubs, planted in groups
within the hedge. These should be set at four
plants per metre in a staggered double row. In
most cases rabbits will be a problem while the
young plants are becoming established, so we would
advise protecting the plants with clear spiral
rabbit guards and canes, at least for the first
two to three years after planting.
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Will
I need canes as well as spirals for my hedge?
You don’t necessarily need to use canes,
but we would advise that you do. The cane not
only holds the spirals in position, and supports
the young plant during the early stages of its
growth, but the canes also help to keep the site
looking tidy and act as a visual aid to identifying
a new hedgerow.
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How
long does it take to order in plants that are
not currently in stock?
We do hold a vast stock of plants at our nursery
in North Aston, and we grow most of our plants
from seed or cutting on site, but there may be
times when a particular variety is temporarily
unavailable. This can depend on the type of plant
you have ordered and the time of year, but we
will usually be able to fulfil back orders within
one to two weeks during the winter season, but
perhaps a little longer in the summer. You will
be advised and kept informed if this happens.
Please also bear in mind that plant availability
may be seasonal.
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Can
you give advice on disease prevention or cure?
Yes we can. If you believe you have a problem
with any plants in your garden - and especially
if they have been purchased from our nursery –
please ring or email and we will try to help.
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How
far afield does Nicholsons work?
Although Nicholsons is based in north Oxfordshire,
Nicholsons provides services throughout the UK.
Nicholsons' vans may be seen travelling widely
in order to meet customer requirements in Buckinghamshire,
Warwickshire, Northamptonshire, Gloucestershire,
Berkshire, Wiltshire and Worcestershire, as well
as further afield, including London and the South
East.
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Is
Nicholsons able to plant single trees, or do you
only plant in large numbers?
We aim to help with all jobs, and no task is too
small. We tend to charge by the hour, since have
found that this is the fairest way to tackle these
smaller jobs.
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How
can I block out views of my neighbour's very tall
fence or wall?
There are many ways to tackle this, and we would
generally prefer to discuss individual cases and
assess the pertinent factors, but a hedge is a
safe bet. There are many options, but evergreen
will give the best possible screen. See our later
FAQ on Evergreen Hedging.
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How
long can I keep my bare root plants before planting?
We would generally recommend that you plant bare-root
plants as soon as possible after collection or
delivery, but they can be safely stored in our
coextruded bags for at least a week, provided
they are kept away from wind and sun (which will
accelerate desiccation) and in a frost-free environment.
If you need to keep them for longer periods than
this, then we would suggest that you heel them
into some loose ground where they can be stored
for periods of several weeks.
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How
much mulch do I need?
We would recommend that mulch is used both as
a weed suppressant and also to help with moisture
conservation. To be truly effective, mulch should
be added to a depth of approximately 7cm, and
in the case of single trees, this would be as
a circle, radiating to a diameter of one metre
around the stem. We can supply the mulch in two
grades – Border Bark –
a coarse grade for good weed suppression and Fine
Composted Bark – a more Ornamental
grade with good moisture retention properties
but one that may need regular top-ups.
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What
species do you recommend for an evergreen hedge?
The soil conditions will dictate this to certain
extent, and we have more details in our Hedging
Planting Guide, but species to consider are:
Leyland, Yew, Box, Holm Oak and Laurel.
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Which
trees are the faster growing varieties?
If you are considering deciduous trees, then Poplar,
Sycamore and Birch all grow quickly. If you want
year-round greenery, then nothing (much!) grows
faster than the evergreen Leyland.
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What
Garden Tree should I plant?
This is the million dollar question! It depends
on so many variables that it's impossible to answer
here, but we'd be very happy to offer individual
advice over the phone, or please feel free to
pop in to our Plant Centre and discuss you individual
case.
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What
time of year do you plant bare-root trees and
hedging?
The safest bet, to ensure your new plant has the
best possible chance of becoming well established
and flourishing, is to plant when there are no
leaves on the tree. That means November through
to March.
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How
do you stake trees?
We have a Tree
Planting Leaflet that you can read or download
from the website, and that includes a diagram
showing how to plant and stake trees.
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What
tree protection should I use?
We will soon have a page on the website dedicated
to Tree Protection – Follow the link to
learn more.
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How
fast does it grow?
How long is apiece if string!!!! The speed at
which any plant grows will depend upon three major
variables: light, the availability of nutrients,
and the moisture content of the soil. How these
affect a plant's rate of growth will also be determined
by the species itself, since the individual requirements
and preferences of that particular variety may
differ significantly from another. Some plants
grow best in an alkali soil, others prefer acidic
conditions. Some are drought tolerant, and will
continue to grow even when the soil is dry, while
others need generously damp conditions in order
to thrive. If you'd like specific advice, please
give us a call.
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The
short answer is; it's impossible to say. The slightly
longer answer is to recommend that you check on
the individual preferences of the species you're
considering and try to achieve the optimum growing
conditions for that plant. It will then grow as
quickly as it can to please you! Conversely, if
you haven't yet chosen your plant, then review
the prevailing conditions in your garden - check
the soil for nutrients, moisture and chemical
content, and then select a species that will grow
best under those conditions. This is often the
cheapest option, since altering the environment
for the sake of one plant can be an expensive
process.
If
you want more specific advice, then please feel
free to contact us by telephone or email, and
we'll do our best to help.
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Do
I need permission to fell a tree in my garden
or woodland?
If the tree is in a Conservation Area or is the
subject of a Tree Preservation Order, then you
will need to get permission from the District
Council before you can fell a tree. We can help
with this. If the tree is particularly large,
has significant amenity value, and is a prominent
feature of the landscape, then you may also find
that the Council will want to have some say in
its fate, and you would be best advised to contact
them first before setting-to with a chainsaw.
For
larger areas of woodland you may need to get a
Felling Licence. If in doubt please give us a
call.
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Do
I need to water my plants and how much?
See our leaflet on Watering
Guidelines.
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What
site preparation do I need to do prior to planting?
This is another of those questions to which there
is no definitive answer, since the extent of site
preparation necessary before planting will depend
greatly on so many prevailing conditions - is
it bare ground?; has the plot been planted previously?;
what are the soil conditions?; how accessible
is the site?; what species do you propose to plant?;
what have the weather conditions been like over
recent weeks? These and many other factors may
have a bearing. The best start might be to give
is a call and discuss the individual site details
with us, either by phone, or face-to-face.
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What
grants are available?
We have a page devoted to this question and a
leaflet is available to download or collect from
the nursery. Please follow the link to Grants.
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