Whitethorn Quicks - Is it too late?

patsy_mccabe

Is it too late to plant Whitethorn quicks (28 March)? I bought a 100 of them and started planting about 3 weeks ago. The first few I planted seemed to bud out quickly but the weather was warm then.
Set a few last week and no sign of budding yet.
I set the last few today - but am I too late. If so, will they just die away?
Just planted them here and there, to fill holes in hedges etc.

_Brian

As long as they were stored correctly they should be fine.

For that long they should have been heeled into some soil to prevent drying out.

If the roots dried out much then it's lottery time as to whether they take or not.

TalkingBull

i hope not, put in some yesterday and today, another 30-40m worth to do, there just starting to bud out in the bundles so hope they be ok

Timmaay

TalkingBull wrote: »

i hope not, put in some yesterday and today, another 30-40m worth to do, there just starting to bud out in the bundles so hope they be ok

Got a bag of them sitting here sinse sat also ha.

muirsin

Just puddle roots and prune back any tips that are shooting.this will encourage new shoots lower down and will have added advantage of producing thicker plant

kerry cow

Alway thought that once there's a R in the month you're ok

ABlur

I planted them in May 2013 which was a very dry month. Not a bother on them, they have grown to 3 foot bushes by now despite being pruned back each year.

Muckit

kerry cow wrote: »

Alway thought that once there's a R in the month you're ok

I thought that was just for skulling cattle!

Timmaay

Nov till end of March is what I'd go by.

patsy_mccabe

Plant before Paddies Day is what I was told.

MickeyShtyles

patsy_mccabe wrote: »

Plant before Paddies Day is what I was told.

Spuds aren't in the ground yet. Fire away.!

Bass Reeves

Timmaay wrote: »

Got a bag of them sitting here sinse sat also ha.

Make sure to soak the roots for 24 hours before planting. Cutting back quicks to about 6'' will reduce area that roots have to feed and provide water to. Stick stronger cuttings into ground between plants.

Butcher Boy

got mine today from future forest west cork,1to2 ft high 1200 plants to do 200m 660 yoyo.

Timmaay

It's only since Ive planted a hedge here the other day that I've been keep an eye out while driving around, it's incredible the number of clearly dead or failing hedges around New houses etc. Something that people are still getting wrong and planting either the wrong time, wrong soil conditions, or wrong sort of plants.

patsy_mccabe

I really like the whitethorn even around houses. Here's one around a relatives house. The low one at the lawn edge.

pedigree 6

patsy_mccabe wrote: »

I really like the whitethorn even around houses. Here's one around a relatives house. The low one at the lawn edge.

That looks well.

I was trying to look up to see if there is a yellow or variegated leaf whitethorn for sale after you posted that.
I can't see any anywhere. The only reason I was interested is that I know of a sprig of whitethorn in a hedge here that comes with the yellow leaf every year.
I should take a cutting of this. I might be on to a winner.:P

Genghis Cant

patsy_mccabe wrote: »

I really like the whitethorn even around houses. Here's one around a relatives house. The low one at the lawn edge.

Big fan myself. I've several hedges planted. I took to stick about 20 or 25 % of other species through the whitethorn hedges for a bit of biodiversity. I stuck a few crab apple trees into the one at the house last autumn. Spectacular coloured fruit on them. Blood reds and golden yellow apples. I see them bursting into leaf in the last day or two.
'Gorgeous' is the red variety. And I think Harvest Gold might be the yellows.

Base price

Planted 60/70 yds of quicks last Sunday morning as we want to take out part of a hedge later on in the year. Some of them were sprouting shoots but so far they all seem to be growing ok. Unfortunately at the time I didn't know about Bass's recommendations.

Bass Reeves

MickeyShtyles wrote: »

Spuds aren't in the ground yet. Fire away.!

I bet you are above ground in the Maheree's

Muckit

patsy_mccabe wrote: »

I really like the whitethorn even around houses. Here's one around a relatives house. The low one at the lawn edge.

Ah yes but you are seeing it at its best there. What does it look like in winter?

patsy_mccabe

Muckit wrote: »

Ah yes but you are seeing it at its best there. What does it look like in winter?

It looks fine in fairness. I'd nearly prefer it to the Copperbeach in winter.

Cavanjack

Muckit wrote: »

Ah yes but you are seeing it at its best there. What does it look like in winter?

Have it planted here on a hedge around the house. Think it's a nice hedge for a house in the country.

greysides

I know a man who 'tamed' furze to make a drive-side hedge. Looks well when trimmed regularly. My concerns about thorny hedges around a garden would be the unpleasant nature of the trimmings.

Bass Reeves

greysides wrote: »

I know a man who 'tamed' furze to make a drive-side hedge. Looks well when trimmed regularly. My concerns about thorny hedges around a garden would be the unpleasant nature of the trimmings.

If trimmed regularly ( which is easy if relatively slow growing) and trimmings are small you just collect them with the lawnmower. You can take the heavier stuff and use a pike to throw them in a trailer and then use lawnmower to collect smaller twigs

charolais0153

Bass Reeves wrote: »

If trimmed regularly ( which is easy if relatively slow growing) and trimmings are small you just collect them with the lawnmower. You can take the heavier stuff and use a pike to throw them in a trailer and then use lawnmower to collect smaller twigs

Or heavy duty builders gloves for a few euros

Cavanjack

Bass Reeves wrote: »

greysides wrote: »

I know a man who 'tamed' furze to make a drive-side hedge. Looks well when trimmed regularly. My concerns about thorny hedges around a garden would be the unpleasant nature of the trimmings.

If trimmed regularly ( which is easy if relatively slow growing) and trimmings are small you just collect them with the lawnmower. You can take the heavier stuff and use a pike to throw them in a trailer and then use lawnmower to collect smaller twigs

Yeah or You could use a grape either :D

MickeyShtyles

Bass Reeves wrote: »

I bet you are above ground in the Maheree's

I must change my bio yoke. Was in college in Kerry.
Nope, above in on the Meath/Dublin border. Next week hopefully.

Jonny303

I've never planted any hedging but wanted to try get a small section in the ground this week. Whats the process for planting quicks, I read somewhere here its just a case of making a hole with a crowbar, dropping it in and filling with compost? Correct?

Bass Reeves

Jonny303 wrote: »

I've never planted any hedging but wanted to try get a small section in the ground this week. Whats the process for planting quicks, I read somewhere here its just a case of making a hole with a crowbar, dropping it in and filling with compost? Correct?

I always just used a spade like sttting spuds on lazy bedspusgh spade ito ground with your food push handle forward and push plant in behinf spade. Lift out spade and friorm around plant with your boot. Just make sure to soak the roost of the plants in water for 24 hours.

I said

What's best spray that will kill nettles but won't harm the whitethorn quirks I've planted?

I said

Quicks

Joebobs

Howdy
I want a stock proof whitethorn hedge along a field (its lots of open gaps from cattle and the hedge is full of stones etc.. as i have allot of top soil ... so...will the wicks grow ok if i just create small soil mounds(pack them with shovel) and put the wicks in the centre of each mound? How large should the mounds be for each?
Thanks

gozunda

Joebobs wrote: »

Howdy
I want a stock proof whitethorn hedge along a field (its lots of open gaps from cattle and the hedge is full of stones etc.. as i have allot of top soil ... so...will the wicks grow ok if i just create small soil mounds(pack them with shovel) and put the wicks in the centre of each mound? How large should the mounds be for each?
Thanks

Not too sure about your existing hedge - is it completely stoney or is there soil there as well?

If it is stoney - you could add / mound soil into domes (10cm high/60cm wide) to allow drainage and to provide enough root space for the hawthorn quick. Make sure not to plant the quick any deeper than the existing soil mark on the stem (should be a lighter colour). If weeds / grass are likely to be a problem use some weedblock etc around the plants.

Avoid planting if the ground is frozen ...

patsy_mccabe

Here's a strange one. Last March 12 months, I transplanted a large whitethorn bush, maybe 3 feet tall or so. All last year, it was dead as a door nail. This spring it started shooting all over. Go figure.