Planting hedges easier ways?

[B R C]

I’ve got some hedge planting to do this winter, some of it will definitely have to be hand planted but I also have a run that will going into stubble. Any ideas for making it a lot easier, I’m thinking maybe a double leg subsoil tine at the right spacing? I’m sure someone must have thought of a bette way than hand planting in this situation?

 

[deleted user 837354]

Advertise in the local press ahead of time, call it a rewilding/regreening voluntary activity, plant a tree, outside air, social prescribing event, what have you. I bet you get a dozen volunteers turn up with a spade each and you will have the lot planted in no time.

For what it is worth, we established a brand new mixed hedge here on some otherwise nasty dirt and the wife planted every bit with compost mixed with meat and bone meal or similar and the stuff took off like a rocket and never looked back. I thought it was all a bit overkill but not a single plant died.

 

[Dry Rot]

It will be the small and furries looking for a free meal that are the problem. And disposing of the plastic tree guards when they are estblished. My guards stayed too long and I had to employ a 14yo to crawl under to remove them. Disposing of the plastic was another matter. Google has plenty of ideas for planting trees.

 

[nick...]

Done this in the past.got an old linkage cultivator and put a cousins level lift tine in it with a couple of bits of plate welded on rear to allow 2/3 inch wide gap before soil closure.all this on a 22 hp kubota.put a tray on frame to hold hedging plants which I’d pre installed the spirals.done a trial run to loosen the ground before going through again and planting the hedging.luckily tractor has many gears and can go very slowly whilst we walk along pushing plants down gap behind tine.bit of a rigmarole and not done it since but all went ok.ran tractor wheel along side plants after planting to compact soil around roots and then caned after that.have used ripper tine on digger for similar effect too and done lots just with a spade.if I had a lot to do across a filed I’d try it again.
nick...

 

[Exfarmer]

I’ve got some hedge planting to do this winter, some of it will definitely have to be hand planted but I also have a run that will going into stubble. Any ideas for making it a lot easier, I’m thinking maybe a double leg subsoil tine at the right spacing? I’m sure someone must have thought of a bette way than hand planting in this situation?

obviously depends on conditions using a subsoiler will certainly ease things but not if the ground is too heavy and wet.
Do not plant you hedging too wide apart, planting wide is a myth perpetuated by certain groups but results in a poor hedge.
Two men with a spade plant spade width apart, one man wields spade second plants tree behind and heels in , you can plant an awful lot in a day
I hate plastic guards but they do make pest control easier not deer though as they will just eat it as it comes out of the top.
Much prefer netting .
there is a little tool which is brilliant but I suspect it would not work so well in heavy soil conditions

Pottiputki Planting Tool 63mm

The Pottiputki is the original, tried and proven planting tool for Cell Grown trees. Achieve maximum planting rates with minimal planter stress.

cheviot-trees.co.uk

after planting care it is worth considering in investing in drip tape to place along the row to make watering easier in a dry time

 

[zero]

Easiest way I've found on clear going is a couple of runs with a rotorvator or power harrow, then drive along new hedge line with a single furrow plough on our kubota garden tractor. Drop the plants in the furrow bottom and kick the soil back in round them.
If it's a breezy drying day we leave the bundles of plants we're using in a bucket of water to keep the roots damp.
Also found that an engine cam shaft follower makes pushing tree canes in alot easier..

 

[Exfarmer]

Easiest way I've found on clear going is a couple of runs with a rotorvator or power harrow, then drive along new hedge line with a single furrow plough on our kubota garden tractor. Drop the plants in the furrow bottom and kick the soil back in round them.
If it's a breezy drying day we leave the bundles of plants we're using in a bucket of water to keep the roots damp.
Also found that an engine cam shaft follower makes pushing tree canes in alot easier..

very good advice but do not leave them more than a couple of hours ideally keep them well covered and damp at all times.
Saw a planning scheme where virtually every tree had perished in absolutely certain drying out was the cause. Boss was away skiing!
50,000 plants lost

 

[Blue.]

I did 3k this spring using the teeth of my 3’ bucket on my 14t digger,just push the teeth in track along 6” and do the same 12” apart.

Someone on here made a set of spikes on a digger to do the same.

 

[theboytheboy]

Where are you based?

I've a 3 point linkage mounted planter with trays for whips etc your welcome to use if your close enough

Im near Portsmouth

 

[robs1]

Ring up kier he is looking for something for lots of hard done by criminals and illegal immigrants to do .instead of them being in prison