A Benje hedge is much more than just a loose collection of prunings. To ensure that the green wall turns into an island of life after it has been created, it is important to take proper care of it. These instructions explain all the measures for the successful development from a pile of dead wood to an ecologically valuable tree hedge with a privacy effect.
How do you properly care for a Benje hedge?
Caring for a Benje hedge consists of regularly replenishing fresh clippings, targeted pruning or removal of strong-growing shrubs and introducing thin layers of leaves and soil for stability. In addition, native wild fruit trees can be planted.
It's so easy to care for a Benje hedge
In the starting phase, care is limited to stacking the clippings in a suitable order. Collect thick branches in the lower area to create habitat for small mammals such as hedgehogs. The right place for thinner cuttings is in the upper wall area because birds like to place their nests at a safe distance from the ground. The actual care of a Benje hedge focuses on the following precautions:
- Refill fresh cuttings regularly as soon as the pile of dead wood settles
- You can either cut back undesirable, fast-growing shrubs radically or clear them completely
- Sporadically insert thin layers of leaves and soil between the tree cuttings for better stability
Give preference to slow-growing fruit trees and clippings from deciduous trees to create the Benje hedge. Needle twigs should be integrated sparingly because they acidify the soil over time.
Bridging the deadwood pile to the living hedge – tips for planting
Over the course of decades of experience in caring for Benje hedges, it has become clear that supplementary planting is beneficial. By successively planting native wild fruit trees, you can control the growth of the tree hedge in the desired direction. Perfect candidates are the following species and varieties:
- Large-fruited blackthorn (Prunus spinosa)
- Rock Pear 'Prince William' (Amelanchier canadensis)
- Barberry, sour thorn (Berberis vulgaris)
- Cornelian cherry (Cornus mas)
- Wild roses, such as the Bibernell rose or dog rose
All recommended wild fruit bushes decorate your Benje hedge with beautiful flowers. At the same time, the flowers and berries serve as a valuable source of food for winged and feathered garden inhabitants. Thorny shrubs, such as barberry, protect bird nests from voracious cats.
Tip
Over time, the pressure of the stacked clippings on the support posts increases. Now the focus is on the robust canes of berry bushes to stabilize the side walls of a Benje hedge. If you weave the tendrils of blackberry or raspberry bushes between the wooden posts, the wall will remain balanced.
