Hedgerows: Planting 1
Why Hedgerow Flora and Fauna
Guelder Rose Blackbird Solitary bee Pipistrelle Hedgehog
bat
J Breen F Wilson
Shelter
Landscape
Flooding regulation
Carbon sequestration
Planting
¾ Cultivation is essential for
optimum growth
¾ Digging in well-rotted FYM
encourages growth
¾ Protect roots from
drying out during
planting
¾ Plant to same
depth as
previously
planted
¾ Firm in
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Hedgerows: Planting 2
GLAS Specification
¾ Double staggered row
¾ 6 plants per metre
330 mm between rows
330 mm between plants
e.g. 1200 plants in 200 metres
GLAS Native Hedgerow Species
Holly
Blackthorn
Whitethorn
¾ Purchase plants from registered suppliers.
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Hedgerows: Planting 3
Pruning and Plastic
¾ Prune whitethorn to 75mm
Pruning produces multiple shoots
¾ Push 450mm wide strip of used silage pit plastic over
pruned shoots
Good weed control allows dense growth at ground level
¾ Leave occasional whitethorn unpruned
- to grow up as individual whitethorn tree to
flower and fruit. Put on a tree guard Future whitethorn tree
¾ Cut hole or slit plastic around holly and
future trees
¾ Press sides of plastic into ground with
spade to hold plastic
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Hedgerows: Planting 4
Fencing and ongoing management
¾ Fence from livestock until hedge becomes stockproof
¾ Fence
• Stockproof
• Fit for purpose
Sheep fencing if required
¾ Protect against hares and rabbits
Low
electric
fencing
¾ Cut annually for first few years - close above previous cuts
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Hedgerows: Rejuvenation 5
Choose appropriate management for each hedgerow type
Escaped: suitable for rejuvenation
¾ Rejuvenate by laying or coppicing
or
¾ Allow grow into relict hedgerows
No longer stockproof
Escaped More than one whitethorn stem / m
Dense base: No need to rejuvenate - if stockproof without wire
¾Trim from a wide base with sloping sides
¾Leave occasional new whitethorn sapling
- to mature as a tree
No wire
Triangular shape
Dense Base New thorn trees retained
Relict hedgerows: unsuitable for rejuvenation
¾ Leave alone - high wildlife value
¾ Rejuvenation may be too stressful for hedge
¾ Fence off stock from both sides to prevent deterioration
by stock tramping through gaps.
Relict hedgerows
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Hedgerows: Rejuvenation 6
Laying
¾ Make a downward
angled cut near to
ground level
¾ Use a billhook, axe or chainsaw
three-quarters
through the stem.
¾ Retain occasional individual
thorn trees
¾ Secure laid hedgerow against wind and livestock
¾ Must NOT use digger to lay hedgerows
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Hedgerows: Rejuvenation 7
Coppicing
¾ Cut stems to below 15cm close to
ground level
¾ Use a chainsaw or circular saw.
¾ Make a gentle sloping cut to allow
water to run off
¾ Retain occasional individual thorn
trees
¾ Remove unwanted trees by
brushing on glyphosate on cut
stumps
¾ Fill in gaps with new plants - 4 per
metre
¾ Consider livestock reach and
future access for machine
trimming, when positioning the
fence
¾ Control competing vegetation as
necessary
¾ For the first few years after
coppicing, cut back to 75mm above
previous level of cut, gradually
shaping into a triangular shape.
New growth comes from below the cut at ground level
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Hedgerows: Rejuvenation 8
GLAS Specifications
¾ Coppicing and laying can only take place between 1
September and the 28 February
¾ Minimum of 10 m in a single continuous length
¾ Replace plants that die during the next dormant
season
¾ Fence off newly laid or coppiced hedges in a grass or
tillage field and protect from livestock
¾ Trim plants over the course of the contract to ensure a
dense hedgerow develops
¾ Control grass and other competing vegetation
Why?
Remember the purpose of rejuvenation
¾ To return escaped hedgerows to stockproof hedgerows
with a dense base good for wildlife
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