When it comes to hedges, proper watering is key. It doesn’t matter whether you’re cultivating a new hedge row or caring for mature plants, watering isn’t something that you can forget about. Below, we’ve covered the basics of watering hedges, including when to water and the benefits of using hedge irrigation kits.

The Importance of Properly Watering Your Hedges

Hedges provide privacy, windbreaks and aesthetic appeal to an outdoor space, but keeping them green requires consistent care. It’s certainly not a case of sitting back, relaxing and hoping they take care of themselves. While hedges may look hardy, their root systems can dry out quickly in the summer months, and they can suffer from waterlogged soil in winter. This is why it’s important to find the balance of proper watering (and the right amount of watering!) to encourage root growth, which helps hedges to establish themselves and stay resilient throughout the year. You don’t want to water them too much, but you also don’t want to water them too little.

When Should You Water Your Hedges?

If you have recently planted hedges, you’ll need to water them regularly, especially during the first few years as they work hard to establish strong roots. Once hedges have matured, they can survive longer between waterings, as they need less moisture to thrive. In spring and summer, you should water newly planted hedges once or twice a week. If your hedges are already established, you’ll probably only need to water them every 10 to 14 days, depending on how much it’s rained. This can gradually reduce in autumn, and even more so in winter. You should adjust your watering schedule during heatwaves and droughts, ensuring hedges continue to stay hydrated.

How Much Water Do Hedges Need?

The amount of water your hedge needs depends on a range of factors, including plant type, age and the type of soil, as well as how much it’s rained recently. With new hedges, you should aim for deep watering, ensuring that the soil is damp to a depth of about 12 inches. Use a slow, steady stream of water to prevent runoff. For established hedges, water less frequently but deeply, allowing moisture to penetrate down to the roots. For clay soils, water less frequently as they retain moisture longer, while sandy soils require more frequent watering.

4 Top Tips for Watering Hedges

• Water Early or Late - As is the case with most plants, watering in the early morning or late evening reduces evaporation and gives roots time to absorb moisture.

• Avoid Watering Leaves - Wet leaves can encourage mildew or disease, which is why it’s important to focus on watering the soil around the roots, avoiding the leaves if you can.

• Monitor Soil Moisture - Check how much moisture the soil has with your finger or a moisture meter before watering, which will help you to avoid overwatering or underwatering. There’s no need to water hedges if they don’t need it.

• Add Mulch - Apply a layer of mulch around the base of your hedges to retain moisture and regulate soil temperature.

Using an Irrigation Kit to Water Hedges

There’s no denying that watering hedges can be time consuming, especially for long hedge rows, but this is where hedge irrigation kits come in. Irrigation provides even, controlled water distribution to hedges, saving you time and making sure that your hedges receive the right amount of water for healthy growth. Instead of having to find the time to keep on top of a watering schedule, you can relax, knowing that a hedge irrigation kit is taking care of things. Irrigation systems are also efficient, helping you to conserve water by targeting roots directly.

Knowing how and when to water hedges may seem daunting, but it really doesn’t need to be. With the right amount of knowledge - and a reliable hedge irrigation system in place - you’ll be able to provide the right amount of water to keep your hedges looking their best.