150m neglected hedge -Advice on best tools

[wytco0]

Hi all just joined to try and educate myself about looking after a hedge in my new garden

 

I am responsible for 150m of hedgerow which has been neglected for many years, it consists of an assortment of native hedge plants (Hawthorne/field maple/Elder etc)and a lot of ivy. In places its about 5m high but the average is about 3.5m and I want to try and get it to about 3m and keep it under control. In some places there are branches of about 4-8cm that I need to cut and some of these are fairly high up.

 

Last year I tried to tackle it with a hand saw, a ladder and some manual loppers but it took ages to do a small amount and I gave up.

 

So I want to buy some decent tools to help but I am not sure what to get.

 

Originally I thought a long reach hedge trimmer would be best, but once I have trimmed out all the long branches I could probably trim the hedge each year with a standard hedge trimmer and a ladder. I am worried that long reach trimmers might be a pain for trimming near the ground? but as I have never used one I don't really know. Alternatively I could go for a pole saw and a hedge trimmer attachment or maybe there are other alternatives?

 

So grateful for any advice on how best to tackle the hedge and what sort of tools would be best.

 

I am happy to pay for decent equipment and I would prefer to get stuff that's good quality and which will last a good few years.

 

Thanks

[hedgesparrow]

two words lay it then you can manage it plus you can get rid of ivy. and will look nice and will thicken up. so you will only need a petrol hedge trimmer to trim it once a year. you can lay hedges fairly high. what part of country are you in. i am sure there will be a local hedgelayer who will be happy to give you some advice by looking at hedge

[wytco0]

two words lay it then you can manage it plus you can get rid of ivy. and will look nice and will thicken up. so you will only need a petrol hedge trimmer to trim it once a year. you can lay hedges fairly high. what part of country are you in. i am sure there will be a local hedgelayer who will be happy to give you some advice by looking at hedge

 

I am in Norfolk, the hedge is probably 100 years old and many of the plants in it are more like trees at the bottom. If it was younger and smaller I would love to lay it.

 

I am a bit worried about the ivy as I think some of the hedge may be mainly ivy, I was thinking of tacking this over a few years hoping that the hedge would thicken once its under control then the ivy could be completely removed?

[Daniël Bos]

two words lay it then you can manage it plus you can get rid of ivy. and will look nice and will thicken up. so you will only need a petrol hedge trimmer to trim it once a year. you can lay hedges fairly high. what part of country are you in. i am sure there will be a local hedgelayer who will be happy to give you some advice by looking at hedge

 

I count a few more there:001_tongue:

 

Whereabouts in norfolk are you Wytco, I frequent certain parts of the county...

[woody paul]

two words lay it then you can manage it plus you can get rid of ivy. and will look nice and will thicken up. so you will only need a petrol hedge trimmer to trim it once a year. you can lay hedges fairly high. what part of country are you in. i am sure there will be a local hedgelayer who will be happy to give you some advice by looking at hedge

 

DITTO. + get rid of the ELDER.

[hedgesparrow]

have a look at some of the photo.s put up in what hedge have you laid. you can lay some big stuff as you will see. the chap who i dd my taster session with John savings of oxford said he was laying 30ft trees so can be done just need a experienced cutter to have a look and advise

[ukminch]

Might be worth getting a professional in once then you maintaining it each year. Depends on your circumstances obviously but it's amazing how much people do in a day that do it day in day out. Worth thinking about...........

[wytco0]

Might be worth getting a professional in once then you maintaining it each year. Depends on your circumstances obviously but it's amazing how much people do in a day that do it day in day out. Worth thinking about...........

 

Yes good point. Now I just need to find someone that can do it !

[wytco0]

I count a few more there:001_tongue:

 

Whereabouts in norfolk are you Wytco, I frequent certain parts of the county...

 

Just west of Norwich postcode NR8.

[wytco0]

DITTO. + get rid of the ELDER.

 

Yes I hate elder and I have been removing it, however it grows very quickly here !