hedgerow planting advise

[Arb-Aero]

I've been asked to price up a hedge planting scheme of 400m going through a fallow field.

The area has been stock proof fenced off with parallel fencing with a gap of 2m inside.

the customer is purchasing the whips and feathers and want them double line staggered.

 

1. do I plant into the grassland or rotate a 18in band  length and plant in that?

2. is there a price per meter for planting, staking, guarding?

3. are there grants available other than th woodland trust?

 

Your advise is well received. 

[Khriss]

Has customer sprayed off the  grass between the  fencez? K

Edited November 10, 2020 by Khriss

[Guest Gimlet]

Laid a hedge for a bloke on an organic smallholding last year and he's planted loads of hedges across grassland. He swears by rotavating  the planting strip first. Reckons they get a much better start. 

 

He says he likes to rotavate a few weeks before planting to let it settle and preferably let some frost into the soil. I can see the sense of it. His soil was a slightly heavy loam/clay mixture.

Edited November 10, 2020 by Gimlet

[Arb-Aero]

12 hours ago, Khriss said:

Has customer sprayed off the  grass between the  fencez? K

No they haven't! thats why I thought of the rotavater?

 

[Arb-Aero]

11 hours ago, Gimlet said:

Laid a hedge for a bloke on an organic smallholding last year and he's planted loads of hedges across grassland. He swears by rotavating  the planting strip first. Reckons they get a much better start. 

 

He says he likes to rotavate a few weeks before planting to let it settle and preferably let some frost into the soil. I can see the sense of it. His soil was a slightly heavy loam/clay mixture.

Yeh, that sound like the right thing to do, cheers.

[Khriss]

22 minutes ago, Arb-Aero said:

No they haven't! thats why I thought of the rotavater?

 

Basicaly you don't want the young plants competeing with grass growing in Spring. Its easier than rotavating if yr planting whips, most important is having adequate mulching after, as it keeps soil warmer and stops drying out in Summer. First two years are crucial in planting. Whats the soil type?   K

[Mrblue5000]

Best way I found to do it was with a 2 furrow plough. Plant bare root whips into a slot cut with a spade, heel them in. I think there was 1 planted every 18 inches on alternate plough scrapes. Nip the top of them with a secateurs to make them go bushy. Fence it afterwards. I did it in Feb, stays fairly weed free the first year. 

[Kevm]

I have planted beech hedging in the past by rotavating first and it's true they get away better then I found that in the second year I had a lot of failures, the reason for that is the moles moved into the rotavated strip and were basically going up and down the hedge undermining the roots, then the voles moved in and nibbled the roots as well.

The last bits of hedging I have planted, just made a slot with the spade and shoved them in and had far better success.