Local Weather Forecast
Today: Current:83	Saturday: 94/73	Sunday: 92/73
Complete Forecast for  Jul 04 2008

In this fast paced world, it is no wonder that we often seek a private sanctuary in which to relax and slow down.

There is no better place to unwind than in a peaceful, quiet garden.

A sense of intimacy and entering another world can be created by enclosing the garden space with a fence.

While the wooden fence is the most frequently used screening and enclosing material, another excellent choice to consider is plants for a living fence.

Living fences or hedges are most frequently used to screen views into or out of the garden, especially when more height is needed than can be provided with wooden fencing.

A living fence of shrubs and/or vines can also provide a sanctuary for birds, act as a wind and noise buffer, and provide beauty for a long time.

In order for a privacy screen of shrubs to be a long lasting source of satisfaction, you need to pay attention to several factors including plant selection, bed preparation, spacing, initial care and long term maintenance.

There are many plants that would create a suitable screen or privacy fence. Some factors to consider in selecting plants for a screen include: how tall do you want the screen to be, how much width or room do you have for the plant to grow, can it be deciduous or must it be evergreen, and how much sunlight will the entire planting receive?

If space is at a premium, and you cannot allow much width for a large, wide shrub, then you might want to consider growing vines on a support of some type. Most vines grow rapidly, providing privacy without hogging a lot of room. Choose your vine carefully and make sure the structure will support a mature vine. For example, wisteria requires a very sturdy structure to support the large, woody stems of an older plant, while Carolina Jessamine's wiry stems would not topple a supporting structure. Also, many vines are not evergreen, so decide if you can live with a screen without leaves for part of the year should you chose a deciduous plant.

BED PREPARATION

Proper soil or bed preparation is essential if you want your living fence to establish quickly to fulfill its screening role. Often folks think that since the plants they have selected are tough and will tolerate neglect, it is sufficient to simply dig holes in the lawn, drop in the roots, water occasionally and voila! - a perfect hedge by the end of the year.

Regardless of the spacing of the plants, I strongly recommend spending plenty of time and energy preparing the area to be planted.

At the very least, remove all grass and vegetation in a band several feet wide down the hedge row. This will eliminate competition for water and nutrients, reduce the area you have to mow, and prevent accidental injury to the trunks by weed trimmers and mowers. It may look odd for a couple of years to have such a wide strip before the plants fill in, but they will grow much faster. You can dress it up with mulch and/or annual or perennial flowers. Of course, for vines, it can be narrower.

Another thing you can do to radically speed up the growth of the hedge plants is to rototill or break up the soil down the entire hedge row, regardless of how far apart you are setting the plants. Break up the soil in a band at least four feet wide for large shrubs. This loosens the soil, breaks up compaction, and provides a large area in which roots can quickly grow and become established. That, in turn, will hasten the growth of the plants. If your budget allows, you could even work in organic matter like composted pine bark or other composted material to provide an even richer zone for the roots to grow.

As you are preparing the soil, adjust the pH with lime if a soil test indicates a low or acidic pH.

SPACING

If many plants are needed for a long hedge, it is common to purchase smaller containers to economize. The temptation is, however, to plant these smaller plants closer together since it may not look right for such tiny plants to be placed so far apart.

However, for the best growth, development and ultimate appearance of the plants, plant them at the recommended spacing, regardless of initial size. Determine their average, mature width, and then plant them that far, or just slightly closer, apart. This way, as the plants mature, the gaps will close and you can maintain the hedge with minimal pruning.

CARE AFTER PLANTING

Initially, the most important factor for growing your hedge is to keep it adequately watered the first two years after planting. This is critical the first year, especially during the summer. A temporary soaker or drip hose can be used down the row to aid in keeping the soil moist (but not soggy). Your best helper in keeping the soil evenly moist and cooler during the summer is a layer of mulch. Apply about 2 to 4 inches in the bare area you have prepared, but do not let the mulch touch the trunks of the shrubs. The mulch will also greatly aid in weed control.

PRUNING

For the densest hedge from top to bottom, you may need to do some pruning or shearing. One of the most common mistakes made in shaping hedges is to shear the sides perfectly vertical. Hedges sheared this way receive less direct sun to the base of the plants, causing the lower limbs to gradually lose leaves and become barren. This results in a hedge that's wider at the top and with no leaves at the base. Not exactly what you had in mind for privacy!

The best way to maintain a dense hedge from top to bottom is to prune the top of the plants so they are narrower than the base of the plants. That way sunlight can evenly strike all the leaves and the plant will be able to maintain a full appearance.

Keith Hansen is Smith County Horticulturist with Texas AgriLife Extension Service. His web page is http://EastTexasGardening.tamu.edu His blog is http://tceblogs.tamu.edu/mt/etg.

Texas AgriLife Extension Service educational programs are open to all individuals without regard to race, color, sex, disability, religion, age or national origin.