Posted: 06/04/2012 at 15:48
I planted a common maple hedge in my garden around 10 years ago, it was initially used as a wind break to protect delicate plants.
However, I want to change the design of the garden and move the hedge because;
1. it needs it
2. I can't wait for a new hedge to grow to maturity as there is a 16 story block of flats behind my house (I live in the middle of the City), and why waste money anyway when I have a hedge already?
3. the Leylandii trees (About 25ft high and 8ft wide now) at the back of my garden are far too large for the garden and making the area under the trees and beyond bare, dry and uninhabitable for other plants.
So I want to move the Maple hedge to the back of the garden once the Laylandii trees have been removed.
The maple hedge currently has about 3 & a half ft (Height) of dense interwoven growth with a further 2 and half feet of light unwoven growth from last year after I let it grow (In prep for moving it to the back), and is about 2 and half feet wide, and planted in a single row about a foot apart from each other.
My questions are:
(1) How likely is it I could move the hedge without having to clip it and cut through the interwoven branches? If I had to cut in places, which I think may be an inevitablity if I want to move it, will I be able to keep the height?
(2) After being there for 10 years, 11 this Spring, is it even a good idea to try moving it?
(3) What's the best time to do this? I'm assuming not right now? I was told on another forum I'd have to leave it untill December?
(4) If I do manage to move the Hedge will it create the same dry inhospitable conditions the Leylandii trees did once the Maples get larger?
(5) Am I right in thinking that the Common Maple Hedge will grow as large as Maple trees, as common maples are nothing but maple trees but kept purposely small?
I have thought of moving the Maple Hedge to front of my garden and buying a new hedge for the back, one that grows thick and fast. But I haven't found many that would grow that fast from being young plants or even 3 to 4 years old. I know Bamboo's a good one but I can't afford that. Any ideas on something else I could use that's cheap and will grow fast to a height of 20ft in 2 to 3 years?
This is my Garden in 2010, it's basically the same as now except the Laylandii are larger and the hedge is larger too with about 2 feet extra with thin growth, as stated above. (NOTE: The plans stated in the video have changed since I made the video).
Thanks in advance for anyone helping me!