Your Hedge's First 90 Days: The Care Schedule That Guarantees Establishment

The first 90 days decide the next 30 years. Establishment is not complicated — it is just consistent. Here is the calendar we hand every client.

Days 1–14

Deep water immediately after planting, then every other day (drip: 3–4 cycles/week). Expect some transplant sulking — a few yellow interior leaves are normal, wilting new growth is a water call. Check stakes after the first wind.

Weeks 3–8

Hold the deep-soak rhythm. First light feeding at week 4–6 with a balanced organic fertilizer watered in. Resist trimming — the hedge is spending on roots and needs its leaves.

Weeks 9–13

Taper water toward the maintenance schedule. First shaping trim at the end of the window: light, tips only, establishing the face and top plane you will keep forever. Check ties are not biting into trunks.

The safety net

Every tree we plant carries an establishment warranty, and this whole calendar comes written up for you on install day — so whether you tend it yourself or hand it to a gardener, nothing gets guessed at.