Bare Root Whips, How Long Until They Turn Into Bushes?

Thargor · 24-03-2025 08:48PM #1

Hi this time last year I planted a load of bare root Hawthorn/Whitethorn/Rowan/Crab Apple whips from connectingtonature trying to make a native hedge down along one edge of my garden.

I kind of forgot about them and a load of huge nettles and other stuff grew down along where I planted them, the nettles were covered in butterflies and insects all Summer so I never strimmed them and I assumed the whips had all been smothered.

Today though while tidying up before mowing season I saw about 20 of them are still alive and 2ft tall with green buds all over them, thats nearly everything I planted so very happy with that.

My question now is what do I do? Do they need to be pruned to make them bushy? There isnt a single branch on any of them they're just 1-2ft tall thin stems growing straight up.

Do I just let them do their thing for a few years? How long until it starts looking like a hedge/producing flowers/berries?

Thanks.

cuculainn · 24-03-2025 08:58PM

Cut them down to the lowest bud to make them grow side shoots. Try and suppress the weeds to allow them grow

Thargor · 24-03-2025 09:15PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123293977#Comment_123293977

Cut them right now or give them another while? They are very thin, like thinner than a charging cable.

standardg60 · 24-03-2025 09:24PM

I'm gonna say the exact opposite, leave them alone at that size or they'll be swamped.

monseiur · 24-03-2025 09:29PM

Cut half of the years growth - say after pruning them, this years growth is 8 inches, next time when pruning cut all growth back 4 inches Expect to have fairly decent size bushes/hedge in 5 to 6 years provided you keep all weeds under control up to 3 feet away from plants all directions. Best weed by hand near plants as strimmer can do a lot of damage and stunt growth. Also if you have access to farmyard manure apply it liberally.

looksee · 24-03-2025 11:01PM

I am with Standard60, leave them alone for another year. You do need to start cutting them, though I would not cut back the crab apples and rowans, leave them grow into trees and let the hawthorn make the hedge. I put in a row of 4ft hawthorns 4 years ago, trimmed the top few inches off and left them get on with it. Currently they would be about 15ft high except that I savagely cut them back each year (they were bigger than yours to start with) and they are bushy 10 ft trees now. The difference between a 2 ft hawthorn and a 4 ft is about one year. Don't worry too much about the weeds, the forestry people recommend leaving the weeds as they give some protection from rabbits. Just dont let them get overtaken by brambles, bindweed or goosegrass.

cuculainn · 24-03-2025 11:57PM

Didn't see the crab apple and rowns…I would not bother to cut them alright and let them form trees. With the whitethorn/hawthorn if you want them to form bushes close to the ground then they will have to be cut back hard to encourage side shoots low down. That's my experience/understanding

Thargor · 25-03-2025 02:22AM

What about if I snipped an inch or two off to see if it triggers branch formation but left them mostly 1-2 ft tall so they get a good bit of sun this year aswell?

Bare Root Whips, How Long Until They Turn Into Bushes?

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