Started holly hedge (again)
October 19, 2024
In March, I spent a couple hours planting a holly hedge out front along the road, from very short cuttings I had taken months prior and put under grow lights in the basement. It did not work out. The first hint that that was going to be the case was when I was planting them and only three or four (out of around 30) had any roots. Beyond that, I think I was not helped by an unusually warm early spring. Nor with how short the cuttings I made or thinking that putting them inside would help.
So, I've tried again, but this time armed with a bit more research. Mainly, it was this "Mark's House and Garden UK" video. Pretty much followed how he did things, though my cuttings were often shorter given how much existing holly I had to work with. They ranged from 12" to maybe 30" for the few tallest. In all, I planted 36 of them, spaced 24" apart, in a line 3 feet from the road. The first 33 ended where I'd previously planted a few false hollies and some as-yet-unknown tree, also 3 feet from the road and spaced about the same width apart, and then the other 3 after that. Watered them, cleaned up.
That was yesterday. Today, I dug some compost out of the bins and put a shovelful around their bases, then watered them again. A delivery of mulch is coming Monday and so I'll soon spread mulch around them.
Here's hoping this attempt fares better than the last.
Follow-up posts: