Planting
Planting hedges and shelterbelts
Plant spacing, pattern and straight rows
A hedge or shelterbelt must stand in straight rows at the right spacing to close up densely. This guide shows how to set up a line, choose plant spacing and pattern, and roughly how many plants are needed per metre — with spacings from Plantning og Landskab and Naturstyrelsen and indicative supplier figures for hedge plants.
Prepare the planting strip
Dig or cultivate a trench/strip along the whole line of the hedge rather than individual holes — this gives the roots continuous, loose soil to spread into and a more even hedge. Remove perennial weeds thoroughly before planting.
Stretch a planting line
Stretch a line along the line of the hedge so that all the plants stand in a straight row. A line is the difference between a straight hedge and a wavy one — the eye catches any deviation in a hedge.
Choose the plant spacing
For mixed, permanent planting the normal plant and row spacing is 1.0–1.5 m (Plantning og Landskab). Dense clipped hedges are planted closer depending on species. Determine the spacing from the planting plan and the desired density.
Normal distance1.0–1.5 mPlant windbreaks in several rows
Shelterbelts are often planted in several rows: as a guideline approx. 1.0 m within the row (1.25–1.5 m for 3-row belts) and a row spacing of 1.0–2.0 m, often 1.5 m (Naturstyrelsen, guideline). Plant multi-row belts in a triangular/staggered pattern, so the belt closes up more densely.
In the row≈ 1.0 mRow spacing1.0–2.0 m (often 1.5)Estimate of number of plants
Calculate the exact number of plants from your spacing: per linear metre = 1 / plant spacing. Indicative supplier figures (not a standard): beech/privet 3–5 per m, laurel/yew/thuja 2–3 per m; bare-root plants are planted closer than root-balled plants. Use the »Hedge plants per linear metre« calculator.
Beech/privet (indic.)3–5 pcs/mYew/thuja/laurel (guideline)2–3 pcs/mUse the right provenance for shelterbelts
For forest and landscape plants in windbreaks, S-marked provenance is used so the plants suit the Danish climate and grow evenly. Check species, variety and labelling against the order on delivery (Plantestandard 2002).
Plant, water and prune
Plant at the correct depth (no deeper than in the nursery), firm the soil and water thoroughly. Many hedge plants are pruned lightly after planting to encourage branching from below — follow the instructions for the species. Water regularly throughout the first season.
Bare-root plants are planted as soon as possible after delivery; if they cannot be planted straight away, heel them in with the roots covered.
Source
Based on Plantning og Landskab (plant spacing 1.0–1.5 m) and Naturstyrelsen (shelterbelts, indicative); number of plants per metre for hedge species is supplier-indicative (not standardised).