How to Care for Cedar Hedges

Cedar is a perfect choice for border or decorative garden hedges. They are relatively inexpensive, hardy, easy to care for and evergreen, so their color is ever present in a garden.

Choose an appropriate location for the cedar hedge so you are able to successfully care for it. The place needs to be relatively level so water does not drain away from the cedar plants. Keep away from walkways or roadways in colder climates where salt is used to control ice, as salt causes cell death in cedars. An area with consistent sun peppered with light shade throughout is ideal for cedars.

Plant the cedar plants properly so aftercare is effective. Dig a 16-by-16-inch trench that runs the length of the planting route. Position the cedar plants 12 to 18 inches apart. Fill the trench with its original soil mixed with peat, manure or compost. If the soil is mostly sand, a two-to-one ratio or additive to soil is necessary to make cedar plants happy.

Soak the trench immediately after planting with water laced with a 5-15-5 water-soluble fertilizer.

Soak the soil once per week after planting and keep the soil moist during dry spells. Wild cedar grows in wet places and cultivated cedar plants retain their love of wet soil. Water the hedge with a hose over a period of several hours once per week or use a soaker hose overnight every night.

Fertilize three times with a water soluble 30-10-10 fertilizer during the growing season. Use slow-release nitrogen in late fall to help the cedars prepare for spring.

Add new soil in the spring at the beginning of the growing season.

Prune lightly at the hedge's sides to encourage branching growth. Use the tallest cedar as a height guide. Don't prune during the first year of growth. Instead, let the cedar plants get a strong start before encouraging new growth through pruning.