Weeds Under The Hedge: How To Deal With It

Last updated on October 23rd, 2023 at 08:26 pm

When weeds grow under your hedge, it’s never a pretty sight. Moreover, it can be harmful to your hedge plants in the long run. So it’s high time to remove the weeds! But how can you remove weeds without damaging the hedge? And how to prevent weeds from growing again under the hedge within a very short time? Here you can learn more about the different methods of weed control and prevention.

Can weeds harm the hedge?

Weeds are often a persistent problem. Ultimately, the weeds deprive the soil of moisture and valuable nutrients that the hedge can use much better. Besides, hedges with weeds peeking out from under them always look very unkempt. And that’s certainly the last thing a garden owner wants! Fortunately, it’s fairly easy to remove the offending plants and make sure they don’t reappear so quickly. Especially in the spring, weeds often spring up like mushrooms after a late summer rain. If you take action early enough, the unwanted plants shouldn’t become too much of a problem.

In principle, weeds can occur under any hedge, but they grow mainly under hornbeam, beech and privet hedges. These are usually deciduous hedges, although beech trees retain their fall foliage and there are evergreen privet varieties. These, like all evergreen hedges, are less affected. Because of the lack of daylight under an evergreen hedge, weeds have little chance to develop. Do you have weeds growing under your hedge? We’ll show you how to get rid of them.

Hoeing and weeding weeds

There are several weed killers available at garden centers and online stores. Some of these are not very environmentally friendly and are detrimental to the soil life in your garden. Some products are even so aggressive that they not only kill the weeds, but also damage your hedge plants. Some garden owners prefer home remedies like vinegar or salt for weed control. However, this can again be harmful to soil life and beneficial insects such as bees and butterflies. To control weeds effectively and naturally, hoeing or weeding is the best choice.

A quick way to remove weeds is to work them with a hoe, also called a shovel. Be careful, however, as the roots of your hedge can be damaged, especially if the hedge plant has many surface roots. Therefore, always proceed with caution. Also note that hoeing only effectively removes wild weeds with seeds. So-called root weeds can spread even more by hoeing, as a new plant can emerge from each piece. The better option is weeding. Weeding allows you to be very precise, but of course it takes more time. It is a very effective method to remove all the weeds from under your hedge in the long run. Rip the weeds out of the ground by the root.

It is not always possible to remove the weeds by hand every week. Whether it’s because your yard is very large or you have a hard time physically handling the work. Fortunately, there are weed killers that don’t harm the environment as much. Here you will learn how to use them.

Weed control in an environmentally friendly way

There are weed killers on the market that allow you to control weeds under the hedge in an environmentally friendly way. These products consist of organic ingredients. But even with these herbicides, be careful: Avoid getting the product directly on the leaves of your hedge plant, as it will cause damage there. Proceed with caution, and even environmentally friendly products should only ever be sprayed on the weeds. The environmentally friendly agents available today generally work very well against weeds under the hedge. As a rule, the result is no worse than with more aggressive weed killers.

The leaves of your hedge plant did get some of the weed killer after all? Then you should rinse the affected leaves with clear water. If necessary, you can also cut off the leaf. With less environmentally friendly alternatives, the damage can be considerably higher. Although there are many ways to get rid of weeds, it is always better to prevent them from spreading under hedges in the first place.

Prevent weeds under the hedge

Take advantage of opportunities to prevent weeds from growing in the first place. Cover the soil under the hedge with a layer of mulch. Mulching is an effective way to prevent weeds. A variety of materials are suitable for mulching, including wood chips, bark, cocoa shells, straw, leaves and even compost. Mulching is especially good for the soil life in your garden. The mulch layer not only protects your hedge from weeds, but also from drought, heat and frost. In addition, mulching is good for soil structure: it keeps the soil loose and nutrient-rich.