The planting
The firethorn grows well in water-permeable topsoil and prefers a location in full sun. Put a drainage layer of gravel in the planting holes, as the wood reacts to too much water with root rot. The optimal planting distance is thirty centimeters for cut hedges. If you are planning a hedge with natural growth, the distance may be one meter or more.
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Watering and fertilizing
The firethorn hedge requires little maintenance. Since the firethorn is deep-rooted, it only needs to be watered occasionally during longer dry periods. In this case, flood the plant penetratingly. The firethorn rewards a fertilizer with nitrogenous fertilizers in spring with a rich set of flowers and fruits. Fully ripe compost or organic fertilizer are well suited.
Cut the firethorn
The firethorn is easy to cut. Without pruning, the wood usually grows somewhat sparsely and reaches heights of up to six meters. Without a regular cut, the firethorn tends to grow top-heavy and gradually collapse ugly.
This is how you can cut the hedge
Therefore, shorten the long shoots without branches with sharp rose or loppers. Since they are stimulated to sprout again, the young plants grow faster into a dense and even hedge. Give the firethorn hedge a slightly round contour so that more light can penetrate inside. Alternatively, you can shape somewhat larger hedges with the electric hedge trimmer (€ 135.56 on Amazon *).
Cut time
Early spring, beginning of March, is the right time for heavy pruning. In June or July, when the pretty umbels have faded and the shrub is just beginning to produce fruit, you can make minor corrective cuts. Do not cut off all the flowers so that enough food reserves are left for birds.
Always cut the hedge on cloudy days or in the evening. Hedges cut in the blazing midday sun suffer sunburn on the young leaves, which weakens the trees. From September onwards you should no longer cut back so that the wood can mature well before the first frosts.
Variety choice
Unfortunately, some firethorn varieties are prone to fire blight and scab. In addition, not all firethorn species are fully winter hardy. When choosing, pay attention to resistant varieties that even longer periods of frost cannot harm.
Tips & Tricks
The firethorn with its dense spines is used by many rare bird species as a protected place of refuge from enemies such as cats or martens. Be considerate of breeding birds when cutting and do not disturb the animals if possible.
