Most conifers grow quite quickly. Yew is an exception: this hedge plant is known for its relatively slow growth. But is that really true? How fast do yews really grow? And is there anything you can do to make your yew hedge grow faster? In this blog article, we want to address these questions.
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Do yews really grow slowly?
If you look around on the Internet, you will come across contradictory information about the growth characteristics of yews. Sometimes it is said that yews grow only an average of ten centimeters, then it is said that yew hedges grow more than 30 centimeters a year. The truth is probably in the middle. In fact, yews usually grow 15 to 20 centimeters a year. So it’s true that yew doesn’t grow very fast, but it certainly doesn’t grow slowly either. Which variety of yew is a good fit for your garden? Boxwood, for example, grows only ten centimeters a year.
Promote growth of yew
If you fertilize your yew hedge well and prune at least once a year, you will encourage rapid growth and dense branching. It is important that your garden provides the right conditions for yews. They do not tolerate waterlogging, but they are also sensitive to soil that is too dry. Yew has two growing seasons per year. It is best to fertilize yews twice a year at the beginning of these periods.
The first fertilization is in the spring, in March or April. The second fertilization you can do in late June or early July. This way, there are enough nutrients and minerals in the soil for the yews to use during their growing seasons. This, of course, benefits the hardiness and appearance of this beautiful conifer. How much higher the hedge will grow thanks to fertilization is difficult to say. What is certain is that this will give your yew hedge a maximum of good conditions after you have planted it in your garden.
Quickly opaque yew hedge?
But what if you want to quickly have a full, opaque yew hedge in your garden? In this case, there are two options. The first is to plant the yews in a zigzag pattern. This will create an extra wide hedge that will provide the necessary privacy screen in the short term. The second option is to opt for a prefabricated yew hedge. A prefabricated hedge consists of fully grown hedge elements that already have the desired height. After planting such a prefabricated hedge, you will immediately have a healthy yew hedge in your garden that will meet all your requirements.
You already have a yew hedge in your garden? Then make sure that the hedge always remains opaque. You can achieve this by trimming the hedge regularly. Since yews do not grow very fast, it is sufficient to trim the hedge once a year. You want your hedge to grow well branched and compact? Then simply trim your yew hedge twice a year. You will see that your hedge will become fuller and denser. This will create a wintergreen, opaque garden border of plants that will be the envy of many.
Yew: a popular conifer
Even though yew is not one of the very fast-growing conifers, they are extremely popular as a hedge plant. This is mainly due to the fact that the yew creates such a beautiful and elegant atmosphere in the garden. Yew is evergreen, so you can enjoy your beautiful hedge all year round. The characteristic red yew berries complete the beautiful overall look of the hedge.
Would you rather have a yew hedge without the red berries? Then take only male yew plants for your hedge, as they do not get berries.
