The Key Maintenance Tasks
Beech hedges will provide years of beauty and protection with very little care.
The most important maintenance tasks are:
- Watering
- Pruning
- Topping
Like all plants, your beech hedge needs to be watered on a regular weekly basis, for the initial first three months of being planted, if there is no rain. Water thoroughly ensures the plant roots get a good drink rather than little and often - which will encourage mildew on the leaves, which not only looks unsightly but can also damage the plant.
When beech trees are planted close together and pruned into hedges, their natural growing cycle is disturbed. The plant's growth is stunted and nutrients in the soil are drained because of the closeness of the planting. Regular feeding with fertiliser provides the plant with the necessary nutrients and boosts resistance to diseases, pests and other stress factors.
It's encouraging to know, a well fertilised hedge will grow faster and provide that all important healthy, dense coverage and privacy. You can learn more about the fertilisation process here.
Pruning Your Beech Hedge.
To maintain your beech hedges neat appearance and promote the continuation of new growth it's very important to prune your beech hedge. August is the preferred time, after the first growth spurt of summer.
Trim to the desired height, ensuring the bottom is wider than the top, V shaped, this way sunlight catches the lower branches, encouraging an even coverage of growth. Discover more about trimming hedges here.
Topping your beech hedge to maintain a neat and uniform shape requires trimming along the top of the entire length of the bush. Topping the hedge at the same time each year - during spring, will encourage growth and discourage bald patches.
Common Beech Hedge Problems And Solutions.
When planting and caring for beech hedges there are three main problems to solve.
Firstly, Aphids will damage your beech hedge by nibbling at the leaves, leaving the plant with increased susceptibility to stunted growth and drying out.
Ladybugs like eating aphids, and so by growing plenty of pollen rich flowers in your garden will help to keep the aphid at bay.
I recommend growing chives, dill, marigolds, and yarrow.
This is a useful resource for supporting wildlife in your garden.
Mould or mildew on your beech hedges is a common problem. This can be caused by watering the leaves rather than the soil around the plant. There's not much you can do to prevent rain from pouring on the leaves, but when you water manually, water the soil around the plants. Mildew is another problem which can affect growth and vitality of plants.
Drought - one of the most common causes of stunted or poor growth is lack of water. Making sure the soil around your beech plants is always moist is very important. If the soil is dry, give your plants some water.
Tips to remember:
- Plant your beech hedges at the right time of year and always keep the soil moist.
- Giving your plants a feed at least once a year will give your plants an added boost and give you a bush to be proud of.
If you require help and advice about your beech hedge, get in touch and we will endeavour to respond with a prompt response.
We can't wait to hear from you! Thanks for reading!
