Spacing Considerations for Planting Hedge Cedars

There is no magic number for how far apart you should plant your cedars. The biggest considerations are time, height, and variety. In today’s blog article, we are going to talk about how hedge cedars are typically spaced.

Time

If you are in a hurry, then you want to plant your cedars closer to together, roughly 2-3 feet apart. But, here on the Lower Mainland, everything grows fast and planting them slightly further apart gives the hedge more root room and horizontal growth room, which will add stability to a very tall hedge.

Height

If you want a tall hedge, like 8-12 feet, then it is a kindness to give them a little more space when you plant them, say, 3-5 feet apart. The taller the hedge, the more room it needs for root growth which helps the hedge’s stability over the long term. But if you plant them further apart, then you will have to wait a little longer for them to fill in horizontally.

Variety

Keep in mind that Western Red Cedars are a larger variety than an Emerald Cedar. Western Reds want to grow bigger, so they will do better if you give them a little extra room apart. A Western Red Cedar is really a tree that you are using for a hedge. 

The bottom line is you can plant cedar hedging anywhere from two (2) to six (6) feet apart depending on the variety, how much in a hurry you are to have a solid hedge, and how tall you want your hedge.

For new cedar hedging, give us a call on the Lower Mainland at (778) 241-5664. This is our business and area of expertise.

Pacific West Cedars, based in Langley, British Columbia, farms, supplies, and installs cedar hedging on the Lower Mainland. They offer two kinds of cedars plus boxwoods: Western Red Cedar (Thuja plicata), and Emerald Cedars (Thuja occidentalis “Smaragd”). They work with landscapers, contractors, and also directly with the public. 

If you have any questions about this article or would like to talk to us about cedars, we encourage you to call us at (778) 241-5664.