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When to Plant Your Perfect Hedge
from: Lawn and Garden MagicIf you're a beginner at gardening, you may have recently come across the use of "zones". The term may seem confusing, but once you become familiar with them, you'll discover it to be very helpful when tyring to plant a successful and healthy garden or hedge. Basically, the system is about labeling each area of the world (more specifically North and South America), so you'll be able to easily identify plants that are most appropriate for your area.
Each area has a zone number. When looking to purchase plants, you look for your area's number to ensure the plant will have a good chane to thrive where you're going to plant them. Many gardening companies have devised their own versions of planting zones, so you have to make sure that if you're buying from one of these companies, you're choosing the right plants for your area. Most are based on the universal USDA Plant Hardiness Map. There are about 20 zones on the USDA map, but many companies simplify these zones to fit their consumers' area.
When figuring out when to plant your hedge, you should refer to your area's zone, which will help you determine the appropriate planting time. If you can't find a USDA Plant Hardiness Map, contact your local agricultural extension office and they'll assist you and also tell you about your specific hedge species and characteristics about it that will help it grow healthy.
Once you know which zone you're in, check the labels on your hedge plants to determine if it's best for your zone. These container tags should tell you a great deal about your plant including the best time for planting and frequently include the amount of sun needed as well as water and soil needs for that species.
Hedges usually need to be planted in mild weather. If your area experiences all four seasons, then this will be in the spring or late fall. The weather shouldn't be too cold or too hot. Choosing a mild time of year will help your hedge do better. To stimulate growth, you might want to consider late fall, but make sure you always plant before the first snowfall. When the leaves start changing colors, you'll find that this is likely a good time to plant and by the time spring and summer roll around, you'll see your hedge start to thrive. Many plants require this colder period to stimulate growth so be sure the hedge plant you decide on is hardy enough to withstand your winters.
You should also know your frost date zones and times. Along with the hardiness zones, they'll help you determine when you can usually expect frost to appear in your area. This is important because you don't want to plant too early in spring and have it damaged by frost or too late in the fall so that you miss the opportunity before the frost comes.
Unless you're planting a hedge that doesn't need a lot of water, always avoid planting during an extremely dry time as well. Hedges don't typically require additional watering and can thrive quite well on rainwater alone. However, if you plant during a dry time, you'll have to water the new plant often until the natural water returns.
Overall, knowing the best time to plant a hedge will mean beginning with your zone number. Research your zone and frost date zones to have a better overall picture of when to plant. Do some research on your specific plant species and note whether the plant prefers to be planted before or after winter. This should help you plant appropriately to reap the best results. If you do this with each type of plant, you'll grow the healthiest plants in the neighborhood. It might take some time, but in the long run, you'll learn all the tricks to make it seem natural to you.
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