Linden Hedge. Planting Schemes, Cultivation, Haircuts. Photo

2023 Author: Ava Durham | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-11-27 07:13

A long time ago it was: my friend and I skipped lessons and wandered into Kuskovsky Park, fortunately, it was not far away. “Look, what bushes are thick and trimmed, as in geometry,” my friend exclaimed. True, these were not bushes, but a young, ideally formed hedge of small-leaved linden. But I learned about this later, and the dense velvet greenery of the living wall was remembered even then. The technology of planting and growing hedges has been developed over the centuries. Through the efforts of talented craftsmen, new methods were created, and sometimes modern gardeners also contribute. How to create a linden hedge, we will tell in this article.

Content:

• What types of linden are suitable for a hedge?
• How to grow linden seedlings for a hedge?
• Linden planting patterns in a hedge
• Trimming a linden hedge

What types of linden are suitable for a hedge?

But before planting plants, you need to choose the right ones from the whole variety of species (and the linden genus has about fifty). For central Russia, these are small-leaved, large-leaved and felt lindens.

Small-leaved linden, or heart-shaped (Tilia cordata), - shade-tolerant, frost-resistant, not too demanding on the soil, but sensitive to drought. Her leaf is medium-sized, up to 6 cm in length. It tolerates a transplant well and is able to live for four centuries, and sometimes more. Leaf litter is very abundant, quickly decomposes, forming soft humus.

Large-leaved linden (Tilia platyphyllos) while there are no leaves on it, it is easy to distinguish from small-leaved by buds: they are noticeably larger. And her leaves, blooming two weeks later, reach 14 cm. It grows quickly enough. Less frost-resistant and more demanding on soil fertility, but tolerates drought better.

Basswood felted, or silver (Tilia tomentosa) grows slowly. Its leaves are rounded, up to 12 cm, while the young are covered with a sparse down, whitish-tomentose on the underside. This type is shade tolerant. But, unfortunately, the most thermophilic of the whole trinity.

How to grow linden seedlings for a hedge?

To grow a beautiful hedge, of course, you need healthy planting material. You can get full-fledged seedlings yourself. You can propagate linden seeds by seeds, but probably not worth it. It will take 18-20 years to wait until the trees are old enough. But with the help of layering, this period can be reduced to 5-6 years.

This is how it is done. A ten to fifteen-year-old linden tree with a trunk diameter of 5-8 cm is planted in a pre-prepared pit in the fall (pre-mix the earth with a bucket of rotted manure and let it settle). The trunk circle is well trampled and watered twice, sparing no water.

In early spring, the tree is cut down 5-6 cm above the soil level and the wound is covered with garden pitch. Some time later, the stump literally "explodes" with a fountain of shoots, there can be up to 20 of them on one plant. Now it is useful to feed them with mullein infusion (1:10).

After two years, in early spring, before bud break, the shoots, stretching up to 1-1.5 m, are bent and pinned to the ground. With the onset of warm days, new growth awakens from the buds of the layers. In June, when it reaches a height of 25-30 cm, it is huddled 7-10 cm. This operation will have to be repeated 2-3 times, depending on the strength of growth.

After another 2 years, the rooted branch is carefully excavated and cut off at the stump, the accrete layers are raised and separated. Then shears are cut into pieces so that each has a developed root system. From one mother plant, you can get about 15 seedlings up to 1.5 m high.

Linden planting patterns in a hedge

There are several schemes for planting lindens in a hedge. According to the classical scheme, it is placed in 2 rows in a checkerboard pattern. Mark the places of future planting pits with pegs, each 40x40x40 cm in size. Rotted manure and 50-80 g of superphosphate are poured onto the bottom, mixed thoroughly and covered with earth.

Landing time doesn't really matter. Thanks to the amazing vitality of linden, this can be done from spring to autumn. It is also not scary if, when planting, young stickies turn out to be somewhat deeper or shallower than they were in the nursery.

During the season, they feed the mullein infusion three times: in the spring, at the end of June (when the first wave of growth ends) and, finally, at the end of July to support the second wave of growth. Top dressing is important in the first years of life.

Trimming a linden hedge

Cutting begins one year after planting. With the first pruning, the shoot is shortened by a third, regardless of the height that they want to achieve as a result. The fact is that at first you need to build up the mass - this is the only way to form a thick green crown from the earth itself.

In general, a small-leaved linden hedge is cut three times: in the spring before bud break, in July after the end of growth and in August, cosmetic cleaning is carried out.

An interesting hedge is obtained when lindens are planted in a wave-like pattern or in a line pattern, in general, there is a choice. And yet I decided to develop my own. I planted it according to the classic, with the only difference that I took older plants, 12-15 years old. Previously, I removed the crown, leaving only a 5-7 cm stump, and covered the cuts with garden pitch. The shoots did not keep themselves waiting long, appearing after 10-12 days. She served as the basis for a thick green wall.

The most important thing is that a full-fledged blind hedge is formed earlier, in just three to four years. The stump left behind can be covered with soil over time. However, he himself is gradually hiding under leaf litter, which, decomposing, gives food to the roots. In addition to the usual haircut, such a hedge must be partially thinned. Do this shortly after the snow melts.

At first glance, this is a laborious business. But count the pros. First, the hedge is free. Secondly, beautiful. Thirdly, if I may say so, it is glance and thief-impenetrable. And, finally, it will serve not only you, children and grandchildren, but great-grandchildren will remember you with a kind word.

Author: J. Salgus