Show #36/6110. Redefining How We Think About Hedges

A Hedgerow Once Established Is Maintenance Free, But There Are A Few Things To Keep In Mind

Our hedgerow, once established, is going to be pretty MAINTENANCE free and that's something really wonderful about these types of plantings. But there are a few things we should keep in mind just from a care and maintenance standpoint to keep these guys happy year round. What would Brent's tips be? The most important thing for getting them established is water. One needs to water any plant in the landscape consistently until its roots are incorporated into the native soil. Even through periods of drought. The best way to water and most efficient way would be a drip tube. Here we have a drip tube with emitter spacing every 12 inches. The spacing's important because you want to make sure that you're getting enough water under each one of the plants. With a tightly spaced hedge, you really need 12 inch spacing between the emitters. Brent shows Eric how it's done. Stretch the hose out over the top of the hedges. Regardless of if you're using an InstantHedge, a pot, or a conventional hedge, you just want to bring the drip tube over the base of the plants. Make sure that the drip emitter is interacting with the plant's root system. It's important when you're doing that to stake the drip hose down so that it doesn't move. It's simple as that. It obviously needs to be connected to a water source and preferably a timer. And a nice micronutrient package would be great. What Eric uses on all of his shrubs and trees is like a 16-4-8 product with a good shot of calcium, magnesium and then other micronutrients. It's an easy, prilled slow-release product, put it out a couple of times a year, spring, late summer and it just keeps them vibrant. Importantly a healthy plant is a happy plant and the healthier the plant is, the better they do at resisting disease and insect pressure.