I planted a beech hedge in March using young bare-root plants. I made sure to water it during the very warm dry weather in late spring, but even so, some of the leaves turned brown and many of the plants now look tatty. Do they need to be replaced? Ciarán O’Hara, Wexford
The unseasonably dry, hot weather in Ireland in April and May caught a lot of gardeners out. It also put recently planted hedges and young trees under stress just as they were coming into leaf and the pressure on their immature root systems was at its highest. This was especially true of bare-root specimens. Although these are much more affordable and environmentally friendly than container-grown specimens, unfortunately their one downside is their greater vulnerability to drought for at least a year after being planted.
You mention being careful to water the plants, but even so, it’s all too easy to underestimate how much water a young bare-root hedge will need (at least 10-15 litres per plant every couple of days), especially when exposed to drying winds and sustained high temperatures.
Young bare-root plants can also easily suffer stress even before they go in the ground. This can happen, for example, if their vulnerable root systems aren’t protected from drying out by damping them down with water and keeping them wrapped and in a cool, shady spot until you’re ready to plant them.
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This aside, it’s not unusual to have some browning of leaves on young hedges where bare-root plants have been used, so I wouldn’t assume they need replacing. Start by gently scratching a few of the stems to see if they’re still green beneath the outer layer, a very good sign that the plant tissue is still alive and viable. Also make sure to keep watering your hedge regularly throughout the summer and early autumn months, ideally in the evening, especially whenever drought or higher-than-normal temperatures are forecast.
As a deciduous species, beech trees naturally drop their leaves in late autumn, but beech hedging is much more likely to retain its dead leaves until the following spring when it bursts back into leaf again. It’s only then that you’ll be able to properly gauge the extent of any possible long-term damage. But the chances are good that your plants will have recovered and established stronger root systems capable of properly sustaining healthy growth. My advice is to wait and see.
Finally, bear in mind that young hedges should also be kept weed-free until properly established. Mulching around the base of the plants in early spring also helps to lock in soil moisture and prevent the soil from getting too warm, as well as preventing fresh weed growth.
