A deciduous hedge scores with convincing advantages. It is easy to plant and care for. It offers valuable living space to countless beneficial insects. The native elderberry is considered an ideal hedge plant. This is how you plant and care for it appropriately.
How do I plant and care for an elderberry hedge?
For an elderberry hedge, plant 1-2 young plants per meter from October to March. Make sure you choose a sunny to partially shaded location with nutrient-rich, well-drained soil. Maintain the hedge with regular watering, fertilizing and pruning from December to March.
It's so easy to plant an elderberry hedge
The ideal planting time for an elderberry hedge is the months from October to March, on a frost-free day. Depending on the type of elderberry, plan 1 to 2 young plants per meter. If you want opaque growth, a loose, two-row arrangement is recommended. The location should be sunny to partially shaded, and the soil should be nutrient-rich, permeable and fresh and moist.
Strings stretched between stakes serve as orientation while planting pits with twice the volume of the root ball are dug. Make sure there is a sufficient distance of 200-300 centimeters from neighboring properties, buildings and paved areas. Before you use the elderberries, enrich the excavation with compost and horn shavings (€52.00 on Amazon). After the soil has been compacted and watered abundantly, spread a layer of bark mulch.
Useful care tips
In the first few weeks after planting, the water requirements of an elderberry hedge prove to be high. Water abundantly and regularly without causing waterlogging. Once the roots have grown, the care program is reduced to a few points:
- water regularly when dry
- Do not water overhead and not under direct sunlight
- fertilize organically every 3-4 weeks from March to August/September
- Alternatively, administer a long-term mineral fertilizer in March and June
- If necessary, pruning is possible from December to March
- Demolish water bullets all year round immediately
Elderberry is particularly suitable as a hedge plant due to its extreme tolerance to pruning. If a majestic black elderberry grows over your head, it can tolerate even a radical rejuvenation cut. In this case, pay attention to the legal protection period for hedges from March 1st to September 30th.
Tips & Tricks
If you mix the elderberry hedge with other native wild trees, the ecological impact increases many times over. Elderberry bushes provide food for more than 60 species of birds. The berries are also dropped along with the leaves. For example, if rowan berries are added, they feed the bird world throughout the winter.
