Hawthorn Hedge.

Hi I live in Ireland - but weather conditions are in general similar to UK.
In 1999 I planted a hawthorn hedge along both sides of my back garden. There are about forty individual 'hedge units' along each side -and they have thrived & they have developed into a pleasant & integrated hedge.

There is only one problem and that is- they have never flowered in summer (or at any time).

Is there any reason why Hawthorns might not flower? I must admit that feeding has not been a priority -there is a heavy bark chipping carpet along the length of the hedge.


:(

 

www.gardenguides.com/herbs/hawthorne.htm
Hi Brian.Trying to raise a couple myself but can't understand what's wrong with yours,sorry.I'm sure someone here will know and maybe this link will help...

 

Do you clip it Brian? If so you could be cutting off the flowering wood, or maybe its just not ready to flower yet.

 

Thanks for the replies.
I clipped them back hard in 2000 and 2001 to try to strenghten the lower branches= - but not really since then.

When you say 'not ready' to flower - could it take over 5 years for the hedge to be ready to flower?

I have to admit I have very poor overall gardening knowledge -and if you told me that it can take 6 yrs or more for hawthorn to be ready to flower -then that would be a relief in one way.

Thanks again

Brian

[ 15. January 2006, 05:45 PM: Message edited by: BrianT ]

 

Our back hawthorn hedge is now 10 years old aprrox and it has not flowered yet. It was cut back about 6 years ago. Perhaps it is a time thing?

 

I've not got any real experience of hawthorn, but if you apply the usual rules, then most trees, (because thats what it is really), take a while to settle down and start to flower. If however you cut it back at some stage, it will then make vegative growth for a few years at the expense of flowers.
Thats my guess anyway.

 

I planted Hawthorn whips in 1992 as a background to my then wild flower garden. I have never pruned them other than taking out the odd wayward branch - and they didn't flower until 2002 and then sparingly - but have more than made up for it now - come May they are a mass of blooms. Any pruning is done after the berries have been taken by the birds.As I recall it flowers on old wood - but my memory may not be right.

Whilst you may have planted more establiched plants for your hedge - they may need a few more years to flower.

 

this is the standard farmers hedge in scotland, it can be laid to keep stock in or cut with circular saw to act as windbreak, it is not a great flowering hedge, in a garden it would be best mixed with other native species and grown for wildlife, to add interest to the mix think about hazel[filberts], blackthorn[sloes], guelder rose[viburnum],silver birch[catkins]beech[colour thru winter, holly, and maybe crab apple.
to my mind you need to clip this hedge to keep it tidy and compact, this will discourage flowering of the hawthorn[otherwise known as May]!

 

or wait another 5 years and see if it flowers of its own accord!
i don t think fertiliser will make much difference to be honest

 

Thank you all indeed for your replies - you have really helped.


Here is a Robin in the garden last Sunday week

http://img299.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc02659ag.jpg


http://img464.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc02548qm.jpg
Brian

[ 17. January 2006, 11:36 PM: Message edited by: BrianT ]

 

BrianT, Your photos are a treat I wish my photography was as good. Your hedge will, as the above gardeners say, flower when it's more mature. I have lots of haw and black thorn and it appears to flower on tallish bushes.

What annoys me, hedge cutting just as it is about to give it's crop of food to our wildlife.

 

Hi all, I have 4 blackthorn bushes grown from seed in the hope of eventually having my own sloes. :D Sloe gin or vodka! They are 4 years old and haven't flowered yet. Do I have to wait as well? :(

[ 18. January 2006, 11:43 AM: Message edited by: Liz ]

 

Yes

Looks like it could be slow gin (-;


bt

 

:D :D :D :D
I've found some bushes locally, will have to rely on those. I've already finished this years!

 

Hello Brian
Your photos are fantastic!!! I'm sooooooo jealous as I can't take decent photos - no matter how hard I try!!!! I adore robins.....
I was thining about putting in a hawthorn in my back garden for the wildlife, but am now tempted by blackthorn..... but then it would be a race to see who gets the sloes first - the birds or my gin!!! :D