Le siepi e il Taglio

Category 1 Wednesday, July 8 2020 Passiflorashop 0 2888

Used since the Neolithic period to delimit cultivated areas, the hedges are still grown close to gates and fences to protect private properties from sight and external noise; to create a shaded area, a windbreak barrier or simply to embellish the garden with green leaves, flowers and colorful fruits.

But what are the best plants to create our green wall? And how can we keep them healthy and luxuriant? Let's find out together.

Which plants to sow and why

The truth is that in nature there are no "hedge" plants. It all depends on the purpose for which you would like to exploit it, on the space available to you and on the sun exposure. For example, if your purpose is mainly decorative, you could plant a deciduous hedge, which in warm seasons will give your garden a wonderful bloom. If, on the contrary, you want to obtain a screen effect, which protects your privacy from prying eyes all year round, it is better to opt for evergreen plants. Finally, if the spaces you have available are very small, avoid vigorous plants and lean towards dwarf hedges.

When to plant them and how to arrange them

The ideal time to plant hedges runs from autumn to the beginning of spring. First of all, work the soil deeply and add natural fertilizer to enrich it with organic substance. If the soil is particularly hard, soften it with a little sand to promote oxygenation and drainage, and finally mark the path on which to place your seedlings. You always prefer young specimens, which take root better in the soil, adapting more easily to the shape you choose to give it and be sure to plant them all at the same time, to avoid uneven growth. Plant the shrubs at a suitable distance, which takes into account the growth they will experience over time, in order to avoid an unpleasant overcrowding in the future.

Maintenance and tools

After sowing, you will have to worry about growing your seedlings and keeping them healthy. To do this, never forget to water them regularly, especially during the summer and during the engraftment phase, so as to avoid any kind of stress on the hedge after transplanting. To keep the soil moist, you can also resort to mulching with bark or wood chips.

When they become adults, you will have to prune them occasionally to strengthen them and avoid having hedges with dry parts or unsightly holes. The frequency of pruning of hedges depends very much on the type of plant you will choose to plant; in general, however, it is performed at least twice a year, especially on particularly vigorous species such as Lauro Ceraso - one of the most used for fencing.

To cut precisely, you can intervene directly by hand, using scissors or shears. Always choose a model with an ergonomic handle that allows you to keep the branch steady without having to strain the wrist, such as the COMFORT or UNIVERSAL shears which thanks to the handle and the aluminum counter-blade guarantee durability over time.

Once the pruning work is finished, use a blower to clean the shrubs from dead leaves and branches, in order to prevent them from drying out inside. When the hedges are large and dense, manually intervening is no longer sufficient: it is necessary to use a petrol-powered hedge trimmer or a professional hedge trimmer, to contain the size of the plants and prevent them - by growing excessively - from occupying a much larger space than to the budgeted one.

If, on the other hand, your goal is to take care of your garden hedge, the electric hedge trimmer is perfect: thanks to its silence and the lack of cables, it can be taken anywhere and used at any time of the day, without bothering the neighbors.