Beech trees are often grown as hedges because their dark red foliage makes them a very attractive privacy screen in the garden. Good advance planning is important so that the hedge grows nice and straight later. What you need to consider when creating a copper beech hedge.
When and how should you plant a copper beech hedge?
You can plant a copper beech hedge in autumn, ideally in October or November. Prepare a sunny to partially shaded location, ensure a planting distance of 50 cm and use a slightly calcareous substrate for optimal growth.
What preparations need to be made?
First you have to consider how long the hedge should be and where exactly it should run. To ensure that you get a straight hedge, pull a string along the entire length of the planned copper beech hedge. This is the only way the privacy screen will grow straighter later.
Ask the municipality beforehand what distance you need to keep to neighboring properties. You can no longer move the hedge later without causing lasting damage to the trees.
Which location is ideal?
Beech trees prefer a sunny or partially shaded location. But they also grow quite well in shady places.
When is the best time to plant?
You should create a copper beech hedge in autumn. The best time to plant is October or November.
You can still plant container plants from the garden center at the beginning of the year.
Which plant substrate is needed?
The soil should be slightly moist. Since the copper beech grows very quickly, it needs a lot of nutrients. Beech trees cannot tolerate waterlogging. Provide permeable soil or create drainage.
The substrate should be slightly calcareous and have a pH value between 5 and 7.5. If you are not sure, you can have the soil checked in the laboratory.
What planting distance should be maintained?
Beech trees, like all beeches, grow very quickly. The planting distance should not be too small. For a hedge, the gardener calculates a distance of 50 centimeters. Only two to three copper beeches should be planted per meter.
How are copper beeches planted?
- Dig planting hole
- Load excavated earth into drawer
- if necessary, incorporate a drainage layer
- Insert copper beech tree
- Improve excavated soil with compost
- fill up earth
- step firmly
- Watering copper beech trees
- Install support post
Do copper beeches get along with other plants
Basically, beech trees get along quite well with other plants. If a monochrome hedge is too boring for you, you can combine copper beeches with copper beeches.
Tip
After planting the copper beech hedge, pruning is necessary so that the trees quickly branch out densely. To do this, all shoots that have not yet developed side branches are cut.
