Fertilizer for hedge

gerard b · Posted: Tue Jun 12, 2012 2:14 pm Post subject: Fertilizer for hedge

I've got a 150m long hornbeam hedge down one side of my site, it's in it's second year and is doing ok but I'd like to give it a bit of a boost. I was wondering do any of you guys have a recommendation for a fertilizer to use? Also if it's a dry/granular type fertilizer how do I apply it? Do you just scatter it at the base of the hedge? Would a water based type fertilizer be better i.e it would get to the roots easier. Any suggestions?

Sive · Posted: Tue Jun 12, 2012 2:55 pm Post subject:

I don't know how typical my experience is, but my hornbeam hedge took 2-3 years to settle in and only now, in its 4th summer is it looking really lush.
You could use pelleted chicken manure I'm sure, if you feel it's necessary...that's what I use, and just lightly hoe it in.

kindredspirit · Posted: Tue Jun 12, 2012 3:42 pm Post subject:

If you have a lawn, I used to throw the lawn clippings under my hedge.

gerard b · Posted: Tue Jun 12, 2012 7:58 pm Post subject:

Thanks guys, I've been putting some of the lawn clippings at the base of the hedge, I wasn't sure if it was a good idea but hopefully it's ok. The hedge was planted into fairly poor soil that's why I thought it might benefit from a feed during the growing season. I was thinking of maybe trying something like those miracle gro cartridges you can attach to a hose. That could work out expensive though. Any thoughts?

michael brenock · Posted: Wed Jun 13, 2012 10:39 am Post subject:

I would be inclined to say no fertiliser at all. Allow the roots to spread and forage for food. Grass mowings are goo as a mulch and to supress weeds, long term they add plant food short term they use up Nitrogen. If you want to feed spread the feed out roughly the spread of the branches and allow the rain to wash it in. Miracle grow is good for annuals and herbaceous plants but woody plants do not respond as fast.. This is a suggestion and not a put down for the previous contributors. We all learn something from this.
michael brenock horticultural advisor (retired)

gerard b · Posted: Wed Jun 13, 2012 11:16 am Post subject:

Thanks Michael for the advice, is the grass clippings a bad idea then, ok they will act as a mulch and suppress weeds but taking nitrogen from the soil is a bad thing right? What about if I top dress around the base of the hedge with well rotted horse manure during the winter? Sorry for all the questions, I'm a complete novice at this stuff but enjoying the learning even if it's sometimes the hard way lol...

michael brenock · Posted: Wed Jun 13, 2012 9:12 pm Post subject:

lawn mowings ok as a mulch will suppress weeds. Stable manure would be wasted feeding to a hedge but may encourage soft fast growth
michael brenock horticultural advisor (retired)

kindredspirit · Posted: Wed Jun 13, 2012 10:39 pm Post subject:

I personally wouldn't fertilize a hedge.

Throw your lawn clippings under it but let I'd grow and develop naturally. It'll be sturdier if it doesn't have speedy unnatural growth.

Just my tuppence worth.

gerard b · Posted: Thu Jun 14, 2012 9:29 am Post subject:

Thanks again guys, I'll leave it to it's own devices then. I'm really happy with it actually, it's got a beautiful leaf, god knows why they call it poor mans beech, it's much nicer than beech in my opinion.