Instant Hedging Plants

Planting an instant hedge is relatively straightforward. Our instant hedging comes pre grown in 1-metre lengths. The roots are 30cm wide by 30cm deep by 1 metre long. Simply dig a trench of the required length, depth and width, remove the plants from their pots and install the plants in 1-metre sections to the length required. Backfill, water and feed your new hedge to help it make a big impact straight away.

All instant hedging plants should be watered well straight after planting. After this, the timing and frequency of watering will depend on the time of year. The first spring and summer after planting is the most critical time for a newly planted instant hedge, as the provision of adequate water is essential. The application of mulching materials will go a very long way towards improving water retention in the soil. If you are planting a long hedge, it would be worth investing in a drip irrigation system that can run the length of the hedge and provide water equally along it. There are various systems available and we are happy to advise on the systems we have used and found effective.

We recommend trimming your instant hedging plants at least once during the first year. For formal hedges that have been trimmed quite tightly, extra trimming will be required to maintain nice straight edges.

The trimming and pruning of instant hedges is best carried out in the spring before the plants start growing again, or in the autumn when their growth starts to shut down for the winter.

We grow many varieties of instant hedging plants on the nursery and would offer slightly differing advice for different species. Please refer to the FAQ section specific to the type of hedging plants required.

We would always recommend feeding your instant hedges at least once a year. Feeding will vary according to the species and time of year, but in general we would recommend feeding the roots to get them established first before feeding the top part of the hedge. Again, various products are available and we can advise on the best course of action depending on your circumstances. On the nursery, we generally wait until we have trimmed all the hedges in the spring and then give them a feed as the new growth begins to emerge. We use slow releasing feeds such as ‘Growmore’ and controlled release fertilisers, as they provide a steady release of nutrients over a longer period of time. On the nursery, we usually give the instant hedging plants a second feed in late spring and at least one feed in the summer.

All of the mature hedging plants we sell are grown outside here on our nursery in Holmeswood, Lancashire, where we produce robust plants that are quick to establish. If we are unable to supply the hedging you require from our own stock, then we will inform you of this and offer to source the plants from one of the reputable nurseries we work with.