Content
- To bring a beech hedge well over the winter
- Beech hawks are absolutely hardy
- Why a mulch cover makes sense in winter
- Never leave the beech hedges to dry out in winter
- Cut red beech hedges to a point
- Tips
The beech hedge can not harm frost and snow
To bring a beech hedge well over the winter
Beech-backed hedges are hardy. They withstand minus temperatures down to minus 30 degrees without any problems. Nevertheless, it makes sense to provide a mulch cover in the fall. Even occasional watering is advisable in dry winters.
Beech hawks are absolutely hardy
European beech trees are native to Central Europe and are therefore used to cold winters. They also tolerate very low temperatures for a long time.
You do not really have to prepare older, well-rooted beech hedges for the winter.
Freshly planted hedges, on the other hand, should definitely be provided with a mulch cover in the first few years. Young beeches need a bit of time to develop sufficient roots that they can use to feed themselves in the winter.
Why a mulch cover makes sense in winter
Mulch blankets have proven very successful in red beech hedges in winter, for several reasons: you
All materials that are compostable are suitable for mulching. You can lay a mulch cover of autumn leaves, grass clippings, garden waste, compost or straw. But make sure that there are no inflorescences in the material and that all parts are healthy and not infected by pests.
Never leave the beech hedges to dry out in winter
Beech hedge hedges do not tolerate complete dryness at all. This can be a problem in winter with little rain or a long-lasting dense snow cover.
For longer periods of drought, you can water the beech hedge once. Use a frost-free day to water.
Cut red beech hedges to a point
In snowy areas red beech hedges often suffer from snow breakage. Due to the weight of the snow, the branches simply break off. The beech trees are recovering from it, but they do not look so pretty in the first years.
Therefore, always cut red beech hedges so that they are pointed up. As a result, the snow can easily slip off and does not load on the branches of the beech hedge.
The last pruning should take place in August. Cutting the hedge before winter is not advisable.
Tips
Beech hawks lose only a few leaves in autumn. The foliage usually stays until spring. The fallen leaves are a natural fertilizer if they are allowed to lie under the hedge.