If you want more privacy on your property, now is the time to plant a privacy hedge. Privacy hedges are a great way to prevent prying eyes and beautify your property. It also has the benefits of creating a sound barrier to reduce road noise and acting as a windbreak. A hedge is a row of trees or shrubs that is more budget- and environmentally-friendly than building a fence.

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Creating a low-maintenance, evergreen privacy hedge for your property requires some work, but is well worth it!

Call Before You Dig

Before you can even begin planting a privacy hedge on your property, call before you dig to prevent hitting underground utility lines. A professional will come out and mark lines for you so you know where it’s safe to dig.

Select Specimens That Meet Your Needs

After getting the utility lines marked you can now begin planning what you will plant. Select trees or shrubs that are:

• Evergreen for year-round privacy
• Disease resistant
• Well-adapted to shearing
• Naturally low, dense branches

To get an instance sense of privacy, select trees that are at least six feet tall. Understand the soil and sun requirements of your property to narrow down the right plant.

Know How Much Room You Have To Work With

Where is the privacy hedge to be planted on your property and how much room do you have available? This will determine how many plants you need to prevent overcrowding. For example, if you have a 20-foot-long area available and you choose a plant with a spread of 8 feet, you would purchase a maximum of three specimens.

Always space plants before planting them, allowing them to reach their mature size.

Follow Directions For Planting

It seems like a no-brainer to say “follow directions for planting” but it’s something that needs to be said. Why? Because the root’s configuration will play a big role in how the tree is planted.

For example, if the tree is balled and burlapped, you will need to till an area five times the diameter and as deep as the root ball. Then, dig a hole two to three times wider than the root ball. For bare roots, Arbor Day recommends digging a straight trench and planting the trees like that. Regardless of how they are planted, make sure that the roots have enough room to grow without crowding.

Mulch Appropriately

After you have planted your privacy hedge, make sure to give it a healthy layer of mulch. 100% organic mulch from Hansen’s Tree Service is an excellent way to conserve water and suppress weeds. Spread a 2- to 3-inch layer of shredded wood mulch between the plants. Keep the mulch away from the plants’ stems to allow water to reach the roots.

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