Green plantings as green hedges began to be used approximately in the middle of the 18th century. Today this reception of landscaping allows to protect any (usually private) territory from curious passersby, wind, dust, rumble of cars, exhaust gases.
In classical understanding the green hedge is linear planting of thick-growing garden and/or park plants which protect and decorate the territory. It is not so difficult to create green hedge at the dacha how can seem at first sight. Some saplings can get free of charge and not demand at all any leaving (for example, maiden grapes), however in most cases plants nevertheless need the preventive forming hairstyle.
Classification of green hedges
On height the green hedges are divided into 3 types:
- Normally it is linear landing of bushes which do not grow higher than one meter. With their help it is possible to designate borders of beds, paths, lawns.
- Medium-to-high – fences up to 2 meters high. They are put for the purpose of division of functional zones of the site.
- Height of live green walls is from 2 meters and more. By means of high plants it is possible to cover unattractive fence or to issue site borders on all its perimeter.
In terms of intensity of hairstyle the green hedges can be divided into formed and growing freely. The second do not demand special care and grow as it is put by the nature, the first demand forming for the purpose of giving of accurate geometrical forms.
The third way of classification – lane of landing:
- Single-row fences represent the plants planted in a straight line equally spaced. Shrubby cultures place in 30-50 centimeters from each other. Trees are recommended to be planted slightly further and to leave between trunks 75-150 centimeters depending on width of expected krone.
- Two- and three-row fences put in several rows, forming, in most cases, tiers of different height. For multirow fence quite often use chess order of placement of plants. The distance between cultures depends on their type and expected form of hairstyle.
- Multirow fences. Such type is used usually in big squares as on the seasonal dacha the combination of large number of plants would take too much place. In multirow fences are used, besides trees and bushes, flower cultures.
Green hedges can also conditionally be separated into monosortable and combined. In the first case only one look and plant variety is used, the second assumes fantasy combination of cultures. For example, within one fence it is possible to combine the formed steps of bushes and freely growing trees. Perfectly the blossoming protections from alternating honeysuckles, mespilus and barberry look. Plants of one look, but various grades differing in coloring of foliage or flowers are sometimes used. Very effectively combinations of green and lilac beech, poecilophyllous and green holly or privet look.
Choice of plants
The most important stage of creation of green hedge is selection of plants for it. The reliable way to receive good result is to refuse experiments and to give preference to those plant species which many years grow in your climatic zone. They are usual to eye and have undergone "testing on durability": do not freeze in the winter, do not perish from insufficient amount of moisture in the soil in the summer. For midland cold-resistant plants with dense foliage which easily transfer hairstyle usually are chosen, are unpretentious, quickly flush. From trees it can be maple, sloe, hornbeam, from bushes – hawthorn, kizilnik, privet. The jasmine, rhododendron, honeysuckle, mespilus, lilac, barberry, different types of roses are incredibly beautiful during blossoming. For creation of green "fence" it is recommended to pay attention to fine-leaved cultures which after hairstyle form plain surface.
Before purchase of plants of the chosen look surely examine roots. They should not be overdried, fragile, have traces of fungal defeats. Usually for green hedges choose bushes and young trees are not more senior than 5 years. These are teenage plants: they any more not such gentle as their younger fellows, but have still kept property quickly to adapt and take root on the new place.
Disembarkation in soil
It is important to study carefully features of landing, growth and development of each of the chosen plant species. They need to provide enough sunlight, water, nutrients. Some plants can die at change in the fall, but easily take root if to plant them in new soil in the middle of the spring. At placement on the site it is necessary to respect certain rules: from inhabited and technical constructions the fence is placed at distance of two and more meters, from solid fences – at distance of 1-1.5 meters.
Before landing the central line of arrangement of plants is planned rope or cord tense between two pegs. Along cord it is necessary to dig out trench which depth depends on massiveness of root system of the chosen plants. Trench width at single-row landing – about half a meter, at multirow is added similar distance for each new row.
Green hedges from coniferous plants
If you have decided to land green fence from coniferous plants, the hole for each tree has to exceed the rhizome size twice. With the withdrawn earth mix compost, organic fertilizers, and then use for falling asleep of hole. As a rule, coniferous trees in nurseries grow in plastic containers, in them and are delivered in the garden centers, on the markets and in shops. After the hole is ready, it is necessary to knock accurately on container walls that the earth lump has separated, to undertake trunk, to pull out plant and to place to the place of landing, trying not to damage earth lump and gentle root system. The hole is filled up enriched as it is described above, the earth, but not condensed. Near trunk form low hillock which will prevent water spreading. After landing each plant is necessary is abundant to water with normal water without fertilizers.
Green hedges from deciduous plants
Average and tall deciduous trees and bushes usually sell with naked root system. Before landing it is necessary to wash out roots of each plant, to cut too long and broken-off shoots. Hole depth for landing has to be the same, as well as earlier when the plant stayed in nursery. It is easy to determine ground level by residues of old soil on trunks. With the earth withdrawn from hole mix organic fertilizers and compost. The bush or tree need to be placed in hole, to cover root system with earth so that between roots there is no emptiness left.
If tree already rather high, it is possible to hammer stake near trunk and rather weakly to tie to it tree to prevent zavalivaniye.
Green hedges from bushes
Saplings of bushes are on sale, in most cases, in plastic containers. It allows not only to protect reliably root system from damages, but also to trade in plants almost all the year round. It is necessary to plant plants during this period when it most easily takes root (depends on its look).
The hole under landing is dug out, proceeding from the size of root system. After the plant is exempted from container, it is placed in pole, cover rhizome with earth, slightly pressing down it hands. After that the plant needs to be watered.
Fences borders
Very effectively practically on any site the low green fence looks. For borders the low bushes, as a rule, which are not demanding cutting are chosen. Before landing the trench about half a meter is preparing by depth. Its bottom needs to be loosened with pitchfork. It is necessary to mix peat, humus, manure or compost with the friable earth.
It is possible to add a little wood ashes, lime or phosphatic fertilizers to the loosened earth. After disembarkation the earth is slightly stamped and watered.
Shpalerny green hedges
If the garden site not really big is also not present opportunity to allocate 3-5 meters under full-fledged green hedge from trees or bushes, then the green protection of shpalerny type becomes frequent way out. Thin, but very effective green hedge can be created from weeping willow. Plants land at distance of 20-25 centimeters from each other, and in year the escapes are completely cut off that land part made only 15-20 centimeters. In year the cutting, but not full, but partial is again made. The strongest and flexible escapes intertwine among themselves cross-wise at an angle 45 degrees. In places of contact of escapes, bark is slightly made an incision, and then fixed kapron tape or any synthetic cord. As a result the grid with pattern in the form of rhombuses turns out.
That the turned-out live wall was not filled up, on all its extent the supporting stakes are driven in.
In certain cases for shpalerny fence make timber frame construction of thin rail, drive it in the earth and twice a year (in the spring and in the fall) cut escapes, fixing them on framework that they in the next vegetative period have braided its certain site. Especially effectively shpalerny fences from the trudging species of roses look.
Rules of care for green hedges
The green hedge demands more thorough leaving, than the majority of perennial garden plants. It needs to be fertilized, watered and cut regularly. Such approach will allow to create beautiful form, dense ozeleleniye and effective exterior.
Cutting of plants has to be regular and consecutive:
- Deciduous plants are recommended to be cut off in 2-3 weeks after landing when they have already taken roots on the new place, but have not started in growth yet. Usually leave 10-15 centimeters from elevated part. Further from the basis of plant numerous escapes will go, forming the magnificent sheet massif. Those saplings which were bought in containers, for example, coniferous plants cut off on third of the total height of elevated part. Trunks and sprouts of the plants bought with the bared rhizomes shorten half.
- In the second season the fence needs to be cut during the period from May to August at least three times. It is about decorative straightening of the most powerful escapes. The preventive hairstyle stimulates awakening of the sleeping kidneys and to consolidation of green material. Such cutting is well transferred by cypress, juniper, cherry laurel. On third of height young escapes of beech, privet, sloe, hawthorn are cut.
- In the next years the fence is cut depending on the preferred form that its decorative effect remained. The top escapes straighten, side – completely delete. It is better to cut off deciduous cultures in the early spring when yet young leaves have not appeared. Coniferous trees and bushes can be cut in the middle of the spring or fall.
Before each watering which is made in process of drying-out of the earth the earth at half a meter distance from plant from each party needs to be loosened. Watering can be made from hose or buckets. The soil has to be as a result moistened on 30-40 centimeters in depth.
Fertilizing for green hedge usually are traditional organic fertilizers. Compost, peat or humus bring in the soil in the spring or in the fall. Previously the earth needs to be dug up, without damaging root system. Fertilizing by mineral fertilizers is desirable too. Nitric stimulate building of green material and are brought usually in spring months, and phosphatic and potassium strengthen immunity of plants and help to endure adverse conditions of wintering therefore it is necessary to bring them from August to October.