Tips for Making Your Own Green Fence
Green fence - is a row of closely planted shrubs or trees that resemble the fence. People try to plant them as close to each other that it would be impossible to pass. The main purpose of such fence is just to be beautiful - it is not appropriate to be a protection. Shrubs are usually planted very close to each other in order to mark the territory and to hide their owners from the prying eyes. The other advantage is soundproof and cleansing properties.
Hedges are mostly made of deciduous or coniferous plants or trees. A good option would be the use of yew, linden, lilac, hawthorn, currant, spruce, arborvitae, fir. The type of the plant affects the height. If the height is up to one meter then it is a "living" border, and if the above, it is already "living" wall.
Should you set your green fence free?
There are two variants of the formation of the fence: freely growing and the formed one. As for the first kind - you don't have to care for it much, just water it when needed, protect from pests and crop once a year, but the second variant you should crop at least three times a year for the shape to be clear-cut.
Nowadays "wild" hedges become more and more popular. They look like they are abandoned because of various shrubs. Their form may resemble the familiar fence or they may have various forms: geometric shapes, animals, arches. Not everybody can afford the creation of living plants in their gardens.
Each plant has its own planting time. So May will be favorable for the cultivation of shrubs in pots. It is important to remember to water the seedlings in the dry season.
For hedges that you are going to shape you need to choose plants that can easily pass through the tree pruner: linden, spruce, yew, beech, boxwood. For the unformed hedges lilac would suit best. This will be the cheapest material for the fence, and yew is considered to be the most expensive. Its height varies from 7 to 10 meters.
For the Next Generation
An experienced gardener can give the plants any form: a triangle, square or a sphere. If you look well after them then contours may remain for many years. To create a formed hedge you should spare neither trouble nor expense. Make an order in the agency and invite the gardener, who will give the correct form to your green fence. "Living wall" requires frequent watering in the heat and in cold weather - daily stamping the ground down next to it. On the formed fence you need far more time than in the freely growing. But it will be admired for generations.
Action Plan
Hedge can be planted by almost everyone. First you must prepare the ground and a place for planting. Then dig a ditch with a width of 80 cm and a depth of about one meter. Loosen the bottom. Pour compost on the bottom. Some use peat or manure. Each meter requires a few handfuls of fertilizer. Fence should be planted in wet soil. Remove with the sharp end of pruner damaged seedling roots. The spacing between neighboring plants depends on the species. Deciduous plants are cut by one-third, and coniferous material is sprayed with a laboratory assistant, that will help young plants to settle down.