Planting hedges without guards

Pan mixer

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Near Colchester
I have a bit of a hedge planting plan coming up this winter, several thousand plants at least all being well.

I don't particularly suffer from rabbits or deer and wondered if it is stupid to try and plant the whips without guards or canes as there is a considerable cost implication.
If I were to use sprials I wouldn't want to use the cheap plastic ones and the biodegradable options add another £1 or so to the cost of each plant which would itself only cost about 50p it also takes ages putting the spirals on the plants.

Anyone tried planting hedges like this?
 

steveR

Member
Mixed Farmer
I have a bit of a hedge planting plan coming up this winter, several thousand plants at least all being well.

I don't particularly suffer from rabbits or deer and wondered if it is stupid to try and plant the whips without guards or canes as there is a considerable cost implication.
If I were to use sprials I wouldn't want to use the cheap plastic ones and the biodegradable options add another £1 or so to the cost of each plant which would itself only cost about 50p it also takes ages putting the spirals on the plants.

Anyone tried planting hedges like this?
My experience is that it's amazing how quickly the hares and rabbits move in to nibble at the whips when not guarded, so good luck!
 

Grassman

Member
Location
Derbyshire
If you are fencing as well it doesn't add too much for some rabbit netting.
I hate to see an established hedge with rows of plastic spirals still stuck there for the next few hundred years.
 

Bogweevil

Member
Is it only willow that will grow from a stick without roots


Poplars will. Poor take of many other subjects if field inserted, although many can be induced to root in nurseries from cuttings.

A plant with no roots, whether lost on lifting or cut off to speed up planting, usually take well enough after leaf fall.
 
We find it keeps them upright - def helps if you have long grass too if you dont plan to weed. Our hedging is double fence so not easy to maintain. If you push the tubes into the ground properly. Bear in mind the tubes come in different sizes we found some too narrow. We reused some of the tree guards as these are much wider and by cutting in half its good reuse value. So you could see if any used ones available.

We spent a lot on these. Look out for used ones on marketplace. On the last lot of trees we sold in a few hundreds at a time. We dont like the spiral ones they go brittle and not ideal to reuse - they splinter plastic all over the place. Buy thicker bamboo canes than the rubbish ones they offer. You can find them on the net. Those thin ones snap when you push them in.

Bear roots we bought from WyeVale Hereford way - quality is excellent.

We have done miles of hedge. Last lot was 3000 so the tubes silly money.
 

SFI - What % were you taking out of production?

  • 0 %

    Votes: 80 42.1%
  • Up to 25%

    Votes: 67 35.3%
  • 25-50%

    Votes: 30 15.8%
  • 50-75%

    Votes: 3 1.6%
  • 75-100%

    Votes: 3 1.6%
  • 100% I’ve had enough of farming!

    Votes: 7 3.7%

Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

  • 1,294
  • 1
As reported in Independent


quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
Top