📨 Have you signed up to the Forum's new Email Digest yet? Get a selection of trending threads sent straight to your inbox daily, weekly or monthly!

Long spreading Spikey Privet?

Options
Hi, I have an area under my window which I would like to grow an Intruder proof thorny type Privet or similar.
Unfortunately I only have soil at one end which means it would need to spread across an area 7 or 8 foot.
I don't have soil to plant a series of bushes going across the length.
I used to have a blackberry bush serving this purpose but it looks very messy although it spread the whole length.
I have so far eliminated Pyracantha and Berberis for not being able to spread more than about 4 feet along but I'm not sure about Hawthorn etc.
In an ideal world I would plant the bush at one end and it would grow and ramble the length eventually allowing me to prune into a neat hedge providing thorns to deter tampering with windows.
Any one know if this is possible or not?

Comments

  • FreeBear
    FreeBear Posts: 18,259 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    It might be possible to do what you want with hawthorn by way of layering - Basically, grow a long stem vertically, and when it is at a suitable height, cut part way through near the base. Then carefully bend it (nearly) horizontal without breaking it and secure it to a stake. If done right, you'll get a bunch of new growth sprouting from the horizontal stem and the base of the tree.

    Pyracantha can also be layered if you want something fast growing - That stuff is near on impossible to kill (have pruned it to ground level, and it still shot up again).
    Her courage will change the world.

    Treasure the moments that you have. Savour them for as long as you can for they will never come back again.
Meet your Ambassadors

🚀 Getting Started

Hi new member!

Our Getting Started Guide will help you get the most out of the Forum

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 351.1K Banking & Borrowing
  • 253.2K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 453.6K Spending & Discounts
  • 244.1K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 599.1K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 177K Life & Family
  • 257.4K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 16.1K Discuss & Feedback
  • 37.6K Read-Only Boards

Is this how you want to be seen?

We see you are using a default avatar. It takes only a few seconds to pick a picture.