With a hawthorn you bring a beautifully flowering, native ornamental tree into your garden, which can also serve as an ideal bird protection. We'll show you how to plant below.
How do I plant a hawthorn correctly?
To successfully plant a hawthorn, choose a sunny location, prepare the soil with lime and compost, hydrate the roots before planting and ensure adequate watering. For hedges use 2-3 plants per linear meter.
Choose a sunny location
The hawthorn is a cultivated form of the two-handled hawthorn, which is native to Europe and is very common. As a “branch” of this hedge, it naturally also has very similar characteristics, not only in terms of appearance and habit, but also in terms of location requirements.
Like its cultural ancestor, the hawthorn prefers it sunny. When there is plenty of light, it blooms most profusely - and the beautiful, double, carmine-red umbel panicles are the special appeal of the hawthorn. If possible, choose a free area for planting - if the choice of location is rather limited due to its practical use as a hedge, but you value a beautiful abundance of flowers, you may want to consider shortening or felling taller surrounding trees.
Improve the floor if necessary
The hawthorn also has similar preferences as the hawthorn when it comes to substrate: it should be nutrient-rich and fresh and have a rather high, i.e. alkaline, pH value. If you are unsure, test the soil using a soil testing kit from a specialist retailer. If the soil turns out to be too acidic, simply work in some lime. In order to achieve the necessary nutrient content, a good amount of mature compost is also very beneficial.
Plants
If you want to create a hawthorn hedge, it's best to get container plants from specialist retailers. Expect two to three plants per linear meter. You can plant hawthorns at any time of the year as long as there is no frost. Spring is ideal and you can still plant well in autumn before the first frosts.
It is recommended to thoroughly hydrate the roots before planting. The best way to do this is to place them in a water bath for a few hours. After planting, firmly compact the soil all around and water thoroughly. For the first few years and especially the first few weeks after planting, the soil should never dry out completely. So you may want to consider continuous watering via a drip hose.
Planting process at a glance:
- For hedge planting, 2-3 plants per linear meter
- Planting time possible all year round apart from frost periods, spring ideal
- Hydrate roots thoroughly before planting
