Hedge Plants Calculator 2026 — Quantity & Cost

The number of plants per metre depends on the species. Thuja Smaragd and common hornbeam are usually planted 3 per running metre, while boxwood, due to its finer habit, is planted 4 per metre. Denser planting gives a solid hedge wall faster but increases cost. The calculator rounds the plant count up.

The price of a thuja Smaragd plant depends on height: young plants 40–60 cm cost approx. PLN 15–25, larger specimens 100–120 cm already cost PLN 40–80 each. The calculator assumes an indicative price of PLN 25 per plant of medium height, typical for establishing a hedge.

Thuja Smaragd — evergreen, fast-growing, forms a dense wall, a popular fencing choice. Common hornbeam — deciduous, holds dry leaves in winter, very durable and frost-hardy. Boxwood — evergreen, ideal for low, formed hedges and bed edging, but slow-growing and prone to box tree moth attack.

The cost of a 20 m thuja Smaragd hedge is roughly: 60 plants × PLN 25 = PLN 1,500 for the plants plus approx. PLN 400 for soil and fertiliser (PLN 20/m). About PLN 1,900 in materials. Adding planting labour (approx. PLN 15–30/plant) the total can reach PLN 2,500–3,800.

The best planting times are early spring (March–April) and autumn (September–October), when soil is moist and plants have time to root before frosts or heat. Container-grown plants can be planted throughout the season, as long as regular watering is provided.

For a hedge a trench approx. 40–50 cm wide and deep is dug. Mixing native soil with compost or garden soil and starter fertiliser improves growth. The cost of soil and fertiliser is taken as roughly PLN 15–30 per running metre of trench, depending on the quality of the native soil.

Thuja Smaragd grows approx. 20–30 cm per year in height. With 80–100 cm plants a solid 1.8–2 m hedge is achieved after 3–5 years. Hornbeam grows at a similar pace, while boxwood is much slower (5–10 cm/year), which is why it is used mainly for low hedges.

Planting a hedge on your own plot does not require a permit. However, you must keep an appropriate distance from the boundary: shrubs up to 2 m tall are usually planted at least 1 m from the boundary, taller ones 2 m, so as not to shade the neighbouring plot. It is worth agreeing plantings with the neighbour to avoid disputes.

The calculator computes the plant cost (count × price per plant for the chosen species) and the soil and fertiliser cost per running metre. It does not include labour for digging the trench and planting or plant transport. Hedge-planting labour is usually priced at PLN 15–30 per plant.

In the first season regular watering is key, especially for thuja, which tolerate drying out poorly. Mulching with bark limits evaporation and weeds. The first formative trim is done after a year. Multi-component fertilising in spring and a special conifer fertiliser (for thuja) supports intensive, healthy growth.