If you’re thinking about adding a beech hedge to your yard, you’ll want to pick the perfect spot right from the get-go. These trees are homebodies—once they settle in, they really don’t like to move. While you can get away with relocating a very young hedge, trying to move an older, established beech hedge is risky business and usually ends with the trees dying off.
Only young hedges can handle a move
Before you go out and buy your trees, take some time to map things out. You’re looking for a spot where your beeches will truly thrive. Ideally, that means a location with full sun to partial shade and soil that stays moist but drains well.
One of the best things about a beech hedge is that it provides fantastic privacy even in the winter. These trees are in it for the long haul and can live for decades. However, once they’ve matured, moving them is pretty much off the table. If you decide you don’t want them anymore, your only real option is the hard work of digging them out entirely.
Beeches have an extensive root system
Beeches are shallow-rooted trees, but don’t let that fool you. While they don’t dig deep into the earth, their roots spread out wide and far. This massive network makes it nearly impossible to dig them up without causing serious damage. Usually, the root system gets so mangled during a move that the tree simply can’t recover or take root in a new spot.
If you do have a young hedge that hasn’t been in the ground long, you might be able to pull off a relocation. Here’s how to do it right:
- Give the trees a good pruning first.
- Dig around the root ball, giving it plenty of space.
- Carefully lift the trees out of the ground.
- Dig a fresh planting hole at the new site.
- Set the beech in its new home, making sure the roots aren’t bent or cramped.
How to deal with an old beech hedge
Maybe you just moved into a new place and that old beech hedge just isn’t your style. In that case, you’ll need to dig up the trees completely to get rid of them.
If your plan is to just lay down some pavers or build a stone wall in that spot, you can get away with cutting the beeches down flush to the ground. You can leave the root system in the soil to slowly rot away on its own.
However, if you’re planning to plant a brand-new hedge or put in flower beds, you’ll have to put in the elbow grease to remove the stumps and roots entirely. Otherwise, your new plants won’t have the space they need to spread their roots and grow strong.
