Thinking about planting a beech hedge? The costs can vary quite a bit depending on a few key factors. It definitely pays to shop around and compare prices from different nurseries, but keep one thing in mind: the cheapest option isn’t always the best deal. If you start with poor-quality plants, they might struggle to take root or end up being magnets for pests and diseases.
What Kind of Budget Are We Talking About?
To get your hedge started, you’re going to need a fair amount of saplings. Exactly how many depends on how tall and dense you want that privacy screen to be.
A good rule of thumb is to plan for two to four young beech trees per linear foot of hedge.
If you’re looking for an “instant” tall hedge, be prepared for the price tag to go up. Not only are larger trees more expensive, but you’ll often need to plant them with tighter spacing to get that full look right away.
Here are the main things to consider when crunching the numbers:
- How tall do you want the hedge to be from day one?
- Do you want bare-root plants or container-grown trees?
- How many total plants do you need for your space?
- Are you buying from a local nursery or ordering online?
The Fast Track: Container-Grown Plants
If you’re in a hurry and want a tall, thick hedge as soon as possible, container plants are the way to go. They are definitely more of an investment, but they tend to establish themselves much faster. Since they are planted with their entire root ball and soil intact, they experience less “transplant shock.”
On the flip side, bare-root beeches are sold without soil and are much easier on the wallet. The trade-off? They take a bit longer to get their roots established and start growing vigorously.
Local Garden Centers vs. Online Shopping
You can find a huge selection of beech trees online these days, and the prices are often very tempting.
For example, you might find a bundle of 50 saplings (about 20 inches tall) for around $75.00.
However, there’s a catch: shipping live plants can be rough. If they aren’t handled professionally during transit, you might lose a significant portion of your order before they even hit the dirt.
At a local nursery, you’ll likely pay about double the online price. But for that extra cash, you’re getting expert advice, specific care tips for your local climate, and often a growth guarantee. If the trees don’t take or start looking sickly, most reputable shops will replace them or offer a refund. It’s worth asking your neighbors for recommendations on the best local spots!
Growing Your Own from Scratch
If you have more time than money, you can always try propagating your own young beeches. Just a heads-up: this is a slow process. It takes a lot of patience and quite a few years before you’ll have a hedge thick enough to keep the neighbors from peeking in!
