How many plants do I need for a 50 ft hedge?
A 50 ft hedge of arborvitae on 3 ft centers takes 17 plants; at the 4 ft spacing recommended for Green Giant it takes 13. A clipped boxwood or privet hedge at 18 in spacing takes 34 plants, and a tight dwarf boxwood edge at 12 in takes 51. Counts include a plant at each end of the row.
Plants for a 50 ft hedge by spacing
| Spacing and typical plants | Plants for 50 ft | Cost at $15 each | Cost at $40 each |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 in: boxwood, dwarf hedge | 51 | $765 | $2,040 |
| 18 in: boxwood, privet | 34 | $510 | $1,360 |
| 24 in: yew, holly | 26 | $390 | $1,040 |
| 36 in: arborvitae, laurel | 17 | $255 | $680 |
| 48 in: arborvitae Green Giant, photinia | 13 | $195 | $520 |
| 72 in: large screening trees | 9 | $135 | $360 |
A 50 ft single row with a plant at each end. For a double staggered row, roughly double the count.
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Choosing and pricing a 50 ft hedge
Emerald Green arborvitae in 3 gallon pots run $25 to $45 each, so 17 of them at 3 ft spacing cost $425 to $765; 6 ft balled-and-burlapped specimens at $100 to $200 make the screen instant but push the same hedge to $1,700 to $3,400. Green Giant grows two to three feet a year and is spaced 4 to 6 ft, so it needs only 13 to 9 plants. Boxwood at $15 to $40 each for the 34 plants of an 18 in hedge is $510 to $1,360. Nurseries often discount 10 to 20 percent on orders of 17 or more, so ask. Mulch the whole 50 ft row 3 ft wide with about 19 bags of mulch.
Planting a 50 ft hedge
- Run a string line and mark each spot; the first plant sits half a spacing in from each end if the hedge must stop at a property line.
- Keep the row at least half the mature width away from a fence or wall so you can reach the back to trim.
- Dig holes twice the width of the root ball and no deeper; set the root flare at grade.
- For a dense screen fast, plant a double row with the two rows 3 ft apart and the plants staggered, which doubles the count to about 34 at 3 ft spacing.
- Water weekly through the first two summers; newly planted evergreens die of drought far more often than cold.
Common questions
How many arborvitae for a 50 foot hedge?
17 Emerald Green arborvitae at 3 ft spacing or 13 at 4 ft. For Green Giant, 13 to 9 depending on how fast you want it to close.
How many boxwoods for a 50 foot hedge?
34 at 18 in spacing for a standard clipped hedge, 26 at 24 in for larger varieties, or 51 at 12 in for a low dwarf edging.
How far apart should hedge plants be?
About two thirds of the mature width for a tight hedge: 12 to 18 in for boxwood, 3 ft for Emerald Green arborvitae, 4 to 6 ft for Green Giant, laurel, or holly. Closer spacing fills faster but crowds the plants later.