Potted Hedging

Should you buy bare root or potted hedges?

Whether or not you should buy a potted hedge over a bare root hedge depends on when you need it. Pot-grown hedge plants are one of the quickest and most convenient hedging options for several reasons:

• Plant anytime. Potted hedging plants can be planted at almost any time throughout the year and unlike bare root hedging plants that have to be planted fairly quickly after arrival, potted hedging can remain in their pots until you are ready to plant out. 
• No root disturbance. Unlike bare root hedges, there is no root disturbance when you plant a potted hedge, so they establish in the soil much faster. 
• Less stress on the plant. Due to there being less root disturbance, there is far less stress when planting out a potted hedge, meaning it’s less traumatic for the plants.

In short, potted hedges help you get the hedge you want faster. 

At Hopes Grove Nurseries, we supply potted, rootball, instant and bare root hedges, so you can choose the product that is best suited to your needs.

How to Plant Potted Hedges

When you’re ready to plant your potted hedge, make sure the plant has been soaked in a bucket of water prior to planting and not dry out beforehand. This will help the soil stay together when planting and ensure the plant has plenty of moisture. 

Place the potted hedge plants in a pre-prepared trench and backfill around the rootballs, using the heel of your boot to pack the soil down firmly. Make sure the top of the rootball is covered in compost, and water  to ensure the plants establish well. You could also use mulch to ensure the water is retained in hot weather. 

For a more detailed explanation, visit our guide on How to Plant a Hedge.

Potted Hedging FAQs

Can you grow hedges in pots?

While your potted hedging plants can stay in their pots for a while, you can’t grow them in pots – they will eventually need to be planted in the ground, as this is the only way for the plants to be able to grow into each other and form a stable line.

 How to remove hedge plants from pots

To remove hedge plants from pots, invert the pot and gently tap on the bottom or sides of it to loosen the root ball. Alternatively, if the pot is thin and flexible, you could slightly pull the sides to “pop” the potted hedge plant out. If the plant is quite potbound, you may have to cut into the pot to avoid breaking too many of the roots.

 How many pots do I need to create a hedge?

The best way to figure out how many pots you need to create a hedge is to measure the space where the hedge will go and then figure out the spacing. The number of pots you need will depend on whether you’re single-row or double-row planting. Visit our Hedge Spacing Advice page for more information.

Potted Hedges with Hopes Grove Nurseries

Here at Hopes Grove Nurseries, we have over a million plants in stock and offer substantial quantity discounts to reward regular customers. If you need more than £1000 worth of plants, email us today (or call us on 01580 765600) with the sizes and numbers of plants you are interested in and we will get back to you with a special quote.

If you need any help Choosing the Right Hedge or any other hedging advice, visit our Knowledge Base or call our office to speak to our expert team.