Sal willows belong to the willow genus and the willow family. They are native, hardy, hardy plants that grow either as large shrubs or small trees. They are well suited to creating natural hedges.
How do I plant and care for a willow hedge?
Planting and caring for a willow hedge is easy: Plant them about 1 meter apart from March and cut them immediately after planting. Cut them back heavily after flowering and fertilize them for the first two years. Use bark mulch to protect roots.
The willow is a fast-growing shrub that thrives in sun or partial shade and in almost any soil. The natural distribution extends from northern Scandinavia to eastern Asia. In this country, the willow is particularly valued as a source of food for bees because of its early flowering. The willow is a good choice as a hedge plant because of its fast growth and tolerance to pruning.
Planting a willow hedge
In good conditions, the sal willow grows around 50-80 cm per year. The fully grown shrub can reach 10 meters high and 3-4 meters wide. Since such dimensions are usually not desired for the hedge, you should promote branching in the desired places through targeted pruning right from the start. The following planting instructions should also be observed:
- Planting time: from March, possible earlier in frost-free locations,
- Planting distance between individual plants: about one meter,
- Planting pruning: immediately after planting for better branching.
Caring for the willow hedge
The sal willows tolerate cutting. It is recommended to cut the willow tree back very heavily immediately after flowering so that only short stubs remain. The willow will sprout within a few weeks and will continue to bloom profusely next spring. If you shorten the bushes from the side and above with hedge trimmers in July, the hedge becomes denser.
Fertilization is carried out in the first two years after planting, and then only when the leaves turn yellow. In April and July you distribute around 50 g/meter of complete fertilizer (€29.00 on Amazon) and rake it in. It is best to cover the soil under the bushes with bark mulch or similar.etc., which protects the root area from drying out and from weeds.
Tip
In forestry, the willows are also used as the so-called pioneer plants, which are the first trees to be used to green raw soil and settle on fallow land.