Planting Oak Trees in a hedge

[Ffermer Bach]

I am going to plant a hedge (via the Woodland trust hedge scheme~ hopefully!). They subsidise the cost, but expect a tree planted every 6m or so. I was thinking of choosing oak trees, although I will never get to see them in all their glory, however, my neighbour said that the acorns are poisonous and will kill the cattle, should I choose a different tree instead?

 

[Lincs Lass]

Yes they are toxic along with sycamore

Acorn Poisoning

www.thecattlesite.com

 

[andybk]

your hedgetrimmer will love you , i have one holding and they left trees (stronger hedge really) every 10m or so , takes ages to trim the top and it gets worse as tree gets older , I have two mature oaks in my sheep field dont think i have ever lost any lambs , though i have heard they can gorge themselves if theres a huge storm and cause issues . wont be your problem anyway time they get to any size

 

[Ffermer Bach]

your hedgetrimmer will love you , i have one holding and they left trees (stronger hedge really) every 10m or so , takes ages to trim the top and it gets worse as tree gets older , I have two mature oaks in my sheep field dont think i have ever lost any lambs , though i have heard they can gorge themselves if theres a huge storm and cause issues . wont be your problem anyway time they get to any size

well I am 56 now, and I planted a hedge, must be 7 years ago, and it is still only 4' high and may have it's first trim with the hedge trimmer this year (this is over 1000'), so I don't think I will have to worry, I guess I am planting stuff for posterity now, but after reading the post above won't be oak, will have a think what.

 

[Mur Huwcun]

We felled some ash trees in the garden here recently due to ash die back on them and now wondering what to plant as replacement elsewhere. We have plenty of oak trees and have had issues with sheep therefore won’t be oak, I don’t mind Sycamore but fancy planting the odd Beech etc along a boundry wall. Planning on planting about 20 soft woods aswell

 

[Frodo]

Gean or wild cherry give you impressive spring blossom and occasionally cherries if you beat the birds.

 

[martian]

Plant oaks and get yourself some pigs in ten years time, they'll thrive on the acorns. Nice little retirement project...

 

[Bury the Trash]

I am going to plant a hedge (via the Woodland trust hedge scheme~ hopefully!). They subsidise the cost, but expect a tree planted every 6m or so. I was thinking of choosing oak trees, although I will never get to see them in all their glory, however, my neighbour said that the acorns are poisonous and will kill the cattle, should I choose a different tree instead?

Same problem with sheep it can be when a lot of green acorns drop.
Yes, choose something else imo, oak is so slow growing and not necessarily long lived either these days.

Hornbeam makes a good easy to grow specimen butthey will prob. Say it's not native

 

[Chasingmytail]

We didnt plant oaks in the hedge but in the woodland corridors ( not to be cut) . The issue is if your going to be cutting oaks down cant see the point. the last hedge we planted we used a lot of native mixes as many as I could access but 70% was still the main mix specified by Glastir. I want all my hedges to contain a mix of interesting plants to flower etc. We did the woodland grants so all the trees are within big double fenced areas and on edges of existing forestry. Lots of native trees. Im also raising a few welsh oaks in pots.

 

[Moors Lad]

We planted hawthorn/blackthorn/hazel (primarily) hedges about 10 years ago and where there are mature oak trees (it was an old hedge line) there is just no way the hedge plants will grow properly - in fact there is at least 2m either side of the trees where the bushes just won`t thrive (IF they survive).
Point I`m trying to make is that oak trees need to be more than 6 m apart in a hedge line for a true success of both - some of these organisations mean well but...
Plus your new hedge will need some fairly frequent trimming once it starts growing nicely to help it "thicken-up" but I don`t think a tractor-mounted hedgecutter will be feasible with trees every 6m ..... expect some blue air from the hedge-cutting man`s cab...

 

[Lincs Lass]

Walnuts thrive here ,,think they like the free draining shallow soil

 

[Tubbylew]

We've loads of mature oaks in hedgerows here, the stock seem to eat acorns ok but I have heard they can cause problems if they guts them, I've heard it said the acorns can cause the ewes to turn after tupping, so I'll try and test that theory this year. Trees every 6m is a waste of time in a hedge imo youd have a much better survival rate of the oak tree if you just planted a line of trees 6m apart a didn't bother with the hedge, as the more vigerous hedge plants will famish most of the oaks.

 

[primmiemoo]

Walnuts thrive here ,,think they like the free draining shallow soil

I'm trying to grow a walnut, but the poor thing keeps having his leaves stripped by insects. He's on a high hedge, so on free draining but deep soil, and wants to extend a leader, but is struggling and under attack.

 

[primmiemoo]

Same problem with sheep it can be when a lot of green acorns drop.
Yes, choose something else imo, oak is so slow growing and not necessarily long lived either these days.

Hornbeam makes a good easy to grow specimen butthey will prob. Say it's not native

We tried growing hornbeam as a row of trees straight out of the ground with a view to making making a windbreak for a yard. All fenced with wide margins, but cattle and sheep made great effort to browse them. Not one tree survived well enough to be shaped.

 

[Bury the Trash]

We tried growing hornbeam as a row of trees straight out of the ground with a view to making making a windbreak for a yard. All fenced with wide margins, but cattle and sheep made great effort to browse them. Not one tree survived well enough to be shaped.

yes same here ,the guard fencing needs to be way off to be effective, if they are'nt totally protected its a waste of time and money. they will kill them quickly.

My theory is that yes there's tannin's in the Hornbeam,yes thats the appeal but a not really strong amount so they keep eating...just simply a bit of variety as well i guess