Why are crops usually better along the line of removed hedgerows decades later ?

As per title, often see it in fields decades after the hedge was removed.

FA0420FC-B1A0-4163-9777-7CC71A6248AE.jpeg
17F86AE7-7EA0-409B-B890-272B899B0D3F.jpeg
 

Pilatus

Member
Location
cotswolds
As per title, often see it in fields decades after the hedge was removed.

View attachment 986618View attachment 986619
It would be interesting to have a soil/tissue analysis done on soil/tissue from the hedgerow line and soil/tissue from the rest of the field and compare the two.
Also if one is really interested to dig a soil pit in the old hedgerow line and the rest of the field and see if their is an visible difference.
Interesting to see the difference as the crop is at such a young growth stage,so one can’t say it is because of the deeper rooting of rape that is causing the effect.
 
These pictures are from a neighbourS field we are growing stubble turnips on ,so don’t know the history. Guessing the improved crop is along an old hedge line. Would like to be able to have the whole field like that. As the post above , the reason for this would be good information. My guess is better soil structure ,or some clay was pulled up or put back during the removal which would hold more nutrients ,on this otherwise light land.
 

Pilatus

Member
Location
cotswolds
Organic matter from decades of deciduous hedges dropping their leaves annually and the hedge I would guess used a different profile of nutrients therefore leaving behind more of what the crop needs?
Stating the obvious but I suppose the old idea of catch crops ( now called cover crops :rolleyes: ) was/is to try and emulate the organic matter you so rightly mention, but takes decades to have the same effect.
 

Goweresque

Member
Location
North Wilts
Also if one is really interested to dig a soil pit in the old hedgerow line and the rest of the field and see if their is an visible difference.
I recently did exactly that, while searching for the source of water to a wet spot. The old ditch was easily spotted in the soil profile, different colour soils and you could even see small twigs etc that must have been in the ditch when it was filled. My guess is the improvement comes from the old ditch acting as a moisture reservoir which the crop uses. The alternative is that the ditch area retains nutrients from all the organic matter from the hedge, even after decades of continuous cropping. If the latter then what does that say about the current ballyhoo about putting manure on fields, the nutrients of which we are told will all be washed away within months.......
 

BrianV

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Dartmoor
We have noticed in recently reseeded grass fields (last year) that where tractors have since seeding crossed the fields a lot in the same area then that area is greener in colour, I wonder if the soil compaction helps retain moisture during drier times as maybe the case where hedgerows once were?
 
Because we apply NPK in a general rate across the field.

The hedgeline should have a reasonably high PK ratio whilst the line outside of the hedgeline will have a low PK ratio - as the hedge will have pulled resources to itself like a tree or indeed any plant does.
 

hollister

Member
Location
Alcester, warks
We have noticed in recently reseeded grass fields (last year) that where tractors have since seeding crossed the fields a lot in the same area then that area is greener in colour, I wonder if the soil compaction helps retain moisture during drier times as maybe the case where hedgerows once were?
That might be more to do with manganese
 

Pilatus

Member
Location
cotswolds
I think a lot of this land is thin and therefore hungry ,and short of organic matter. Nothing that comes in a bag has the same effect.
That is certainly true on the very brashly Cotswoldd land..
Sounds daft but I am convinced that FYM contains ingredient “X” . Perhaps some will say ingredient “X” is simply Organic Matter, they may be correct but perhaps not quite that simple but I am not a soil
Scientist. ;)
 
I recently did exactly that, while searching for the source of water to a wet spot. The old ditch was easily spotted in the soil profile, different colour soils and you could even see small twigs etc that must have been in the ditch when it was filled. My guess is the improvement comes from the old ditch acting as a moisture reservoir which the crop uses. The alternative is that the ditch area retains nutrients from all the organic matter from the hedge, even after decades of continuous cropping. If the latter then what does that say about the current ballyhoo about putting manure on fields, the nutrients of which we are told will all be washed away within months.......


Has the EA actually written this ?

You do know research was done many year ago showing brown fields absorb Nitrogen from the air ? One of the reasons why fallow land works.

Isn't correct to state that flooded land leeches nutrients - when the water isn't full of sewerage.
 
Location
southwest
The answer is simply that the soil under the hedges hasn't grown a crop since the hedge was established.

Try leaving half a field fallow for a year and see the difference in the next crop-for hedge lines it's this times 150 (or however old the hedge was)
 

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