Root Ball hedging season is really kicking off now and I thought I’d shine the spotlight on these beautiful plants and explain why they are such a great choice when planting a hedge.
Root Balls are normally evergreen plants and are an ideal way for establishing a tall hedge quickly. Grown in fields, Root Ball plants are scooped out of the ground in November. Using heavy machinery, they are transported with their roots well protected by a ball of soil inside a hessian sack.
Most Root Ball plants are only available from early autumn to mid-spring, however Box Root Ball hedging plants are available year round. We advise that Root Ball hedging plants are planted as soon after delivery as possible however they can be stored for a few days if needed. It is very important to keep their roots moist and store them in a sheltered area.
Our most popular Root Ball hedging plants are:
Cherry Laurel – Prunus laurocerasus Rotundifolia
Cherry Laurel makes a wonderful hedge and has dark, glossy evergreen foliage. Fantastic for privacy screen hedges, Prunus laurocerasus Rotundifolia is also great for attracting wildlife and provides food and shelter for a range of different species.
We sell Cherry Laurel Root Balls from 60/80cm tall as a 2 year old root ball all the way up to 2.5/3m as a 7 year old root ball.
Yew – Taxus Baccata
Yew hedging plants are best used for formal hedging as they are easily pruned into attractive, straight or curved shapes. As an evergreen, British conifer Yew provides year round cover making it perfect for privacy screen hedging and wind break hedging. One of the best attributes of Taxus Baccata is that it grows well in even the most difficult sites.
Our Yew Root Balls range from 60/80cm (7 year old root ball) to 2.5/2.75m (15 year old root ball).
Privet – Ligustrum Ovalifolium
A popular semi-evergreen hedging plant, Privet creates a dense screening hedge very quickly. With lush foliage, creamy white flowers and autumn berries Privet is also a haven for garden wildlife. As a semi-evergreen Privet can be grown in coastal or exposed sites but some foliage may be lost.
Our Ligustrum Ovaliofilum Root Balls start at 1/1.25m (3 year old root ball) and go up to 1.75/2m (6 year old root ball)
Box – Buxus Sempervirens
Last, but by no means least, is our ever popular Box Root Ball hedging plant. Unlike most other root balls, Box can be ordered year round and makes a wonderful formal hedge. With a dense and compact habit, Buxus Sempervirens makes a great windbreak hedge and can grow in even the toughest conditions.
As Box is relatively slow growing, our Box root ball plants are the perfect solution when trying to achieve a taller box hedge more quickly.
Our Box root balls start at 40/50cm (4 year old root ball) and grow as tall as 1.4/1.6m (9 year old root ball)
Some top tips when it comes to planting and pruning Hedges:
Prepare the ground before planting by enriching the soil with an organic matter
When planting Root Balls, leave the hessian sack attached as it will naturally decompose
Give each plant a good drenching of water after planting
Formative pruning should take place in the spring after planting and for two years following planting
Maintenance pruning can be carried out each summer but please take care to check for any nesting birds!
We’ve been taking pre-orders for our Root Ball hedging plants since mid-summer and have already started despatching our first deliveries of the season. Root Ball hedging can still be ordered online now for delivery within 7-14 days.
Of course we also stock these hedging varieties in other root types, including Cell Grown, Bare Root and Pot Grown Hedging plants.
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