The First 12 Weeks: How to Water and Establish a New Hedge in SEQ

Every hedge we install leaves with the same establishment plan. Follow it and Resilience is close to bulletproof in SEQ. Here it is in full, whether you bought from us or not.

The schedule

• Weeks 1 and 2: deep water every second day. About 8 to 10 litres per plant, slowly, at the root zone.
• Weeks 3 to 6: deep water twice a week. Increase to three times in heatwave weeks.
• Weeks 7 to 12: deep water once a week.
• After 12 weeks: rain does most of the work. Water deeply in extended dry spells, especially the first summer.

Deep beats frequent

The most common mistake is a light daily sprinkle. Shallow water grows shallow roots, and shallow roots cook in January. A slow bucket or a dripping hose at the base for a few minutes per plant pushes moisture down and trains roots to follow it. The soil should be moist 15cm down the day after watering.

Mulch rules

Keep 75mm of mulch over the root zone, pulled back a hand-width from the trunks. Mulch piled against stems invites collar rot; bare soil bakes. Top it up each spring.

Two warning signs

Wilting or dull leaves

Thirsty. Water deeply today, then tighten the schedule for a fortnight. Plants almost always bounce back within 48 hours.

Yellowing lower leaves with wet soil

Drowning, usually in heavy clay or a low spot. Skip the next watering and check drainage. Resilience forgives a lot, but no plant enjoys wet feet for weeks.

Feeding and first trim

A slow-release native-safe fertiliser in spring and early autumn is plenty. Give the hedge its first light tip prune once you see 10 to 15cm of fresh growth: little and often is the secret to density.

Bought plants elsewhere and something looks off? Send us a photo anyway on the contact page. Happy hedges are good for business, even the ones we did not plant. And if you are still at the planning stage, start with our calculator.