HELP - Planting Beech Trees

hi

can anyone help and give me some advice. looking to buy some beech plants for a double row. lengh 70ft and 30ft total lengh 100ft approx. please advise best size and planting spaces for this project. the hedge will run along the drive - how far should I plant to the pathway to allow for growth as dont want it to come over the path. also the double row have seen one website recommend space between plants 38cm and 90cm which is a big difference between both.

thanks

cath

 

www.ewburrownursery.co.uk/downloads.php

Cath - I really like this Burrow nursery - also known as English Woodlands. They are trees, shrubs, and hedging, and they are good at what they do. I've put the web page link for their downloads page which has lots of good information (they will send you a copy of their catalogue ifl you call and tell them what you are looking for). I see you are in Surrey, so it is probably less than an hour away from you, and well worth a visit.

Hope this helps. Rumple

 

I've used http://www.hopesgrovenurseries.co.uk/
They ahve a great catalogue, and the plant quality was good. Strongly recommend :D

Re distances, I prefer closer for a hedge, but the catalogue from the above site does give instructions like that...

 

Question is how soon do you want a hedge, nad how much maintenance will you give it?

Beech trees are put in on 18" spacings (thats 450mm to you young bloods)a lot of the time, but you can stretch that out if you're a patient person, nothing wrong with 90cm, but nothing right IMO about less than 45cm as they will get too congested.

Important thing if you are spacing them out is to give them some mulch/weed matting to supress competition while they become established, and plenty of water in the first year if possible.Small ones DEFINITELY establish better and faster with less maintenance, so better hedge after 5 years but moaning clients after one if you go for 'whips'. Otherwise go for 'feathers' - sounds kinky ooh MAtron!! but they will do fine. Once they get to about 2m heavy rootballed they start to get cranky (like the rest of us old gassbags) and don't always move well so best avoided unless you have to use them.

Plant them at least one quarter as far away from the drive as you want them to get high, and maybe five or six feet if you are going to let it get to more than about 20ft high. They ain't easy to move then!