
Want a little landscaping done to your garden? A privet hedge can help you do that. Read on to know more…
When the boundaries of your house demand privacy and comfort, a hedge plant is what it is asking for. A privet hedge plant, apart from delivering privacy to the dweller, signifies to be a green tribute to a sublime landscape design. Even when homeowners have designed their house plans in a zero lot line manner, a hedge plant could serve to be the perfect respite for one who appreciates the sight of green and not the view of concrete.
Fast Facts
- Privets are hedge plants that are categorized as perennials. They are deciduous shrubs.
- They belong to the Ligustrum genus. The most preferred and popular species in Ligustrum are Japanese privet (L. japonicum), glossy privet (L. lucidium), California privet (L. ovalifolium), Amur privet (L. amurense) and regal privet (L. obtusifolium).
- Its height ranges from 12 to 18 feet.
- They are fast-growing plants that can be controlled very easily, as their size and shape can be maneuvered quite drastically by shearing and pruning.
- Moist soil and a regular pruning regimen is all the care they need. They have the capacity to thrive in partial shade as well.
- They feature mid-sized leaves. These leaves remain green well into frost, and turn a yellow hue on the verge of fall. The plant is appreciated all the more when small, white flowers adorn the shrub at the onset of summer.
How to Plant Them
You can plant a privet hedge by following the instructions given below. All you need to do is to employ a step-by-step pattern in order to plant this lush green shrub. Here we go.
- First and foremost, you need to be sure about the planting site. If you are, then you can embark on the process directly.
- Make the surface where the planting will take place, smooth and devoid of stones and gravel. Get rid of weeds by using a mower or a rake. Moisten the soil, as this is a crucial requirement for most hedge plants.
- Dig up the ground for the purpose of plantation, and place the plants, maintaining a distance of about 10 to 12 inches between each.
- Ensure that you plant it 1.5 to 2 feet away from the boundary wall. It should never be planted close to the sidewalk or the boundary walls, as this will not give the shrub space to breathe and grow optimally, and may cause structural damage to the construction.
- The next step is to add compost to the soil, so that the quality of the soil is insured, thereby not affecting the growth of the privet. Amalgamate the compost with the soil in such a manner that they perform their utilitarian function uniformly.
- After placing a plant in a hole, fill up the hole partially with soil. To make the plant stay in place, it is required that you compress the soil, especially around the roots, very firmly.
- Now, pour water into the hole and let the excess drain. Fill the remaining space with soil and press the soil firmly near the roots again.
- To facilitate the plant to hold water, construct a ridge on the boundaries where the plant is positioned. Now pour some water and fill the ridge completely. Let the ridge drain. Continue this activity for 2 more sessions.
- Take extra care of the plant in the first two weeks of plantation. Follow a watering time-table. Make sure that you water the plant every alternate day. After two weeks, you can resort to a watering regimen that involves you spraying water only once or twice every week.
Pruning should involve shearing the shrub at the onset of autumn, in order to shape them. It helps plucking out the dead and damaged growth that may prove harmful to the shrubs. You could also nourish them with fertilizers during spring and early autumn, and last but not the least, take care of them by watering them deeply to help the soil soak in moisture and facilitate a lush growth.
A privet hedge can be the perfect boundary design to see and feel green all around you, and the privacy comes as a bonus!