Reinstating Hedgerows

[Commando]

Morning Arbtalkers...Im looking to reinstate 650m of hedgerow (grubbed out in the 70's). I plan to apply for CS grants (BN11 / FG2) and am trying to work out some approximate costs:

What am I looking at to get 4000 x 400-600mm whips planted?

Would I need guards - the hedgerows must be fenced on both sides, so wondering if i'd be better initially putting temp rabbit netting up with the stock fencing?

Best suppliers of bulk native hedge plants?

What are people paying for stock fencing - Its a new run so no need for footing up or grubbing anything out?

Any other advice on anything I've missed?

Cheers in advance

[Baldbloke]

I’m long out of that game so can’t help with any costings. However, as well as width between the fences to preclude deer interference, and the option of rabbit netting, you might need to consider shrew guards too. This especially if you see snow cover. If that was the case it’s worth costing whether taller individual tree guards (which would cover rabbit/shrew/mouse issues)might actually be cheaper than the rabbit netting and its installation which is always suspect to damage from stock anyway. This as well as the hassle of regularly having to check the nettings integrity.

 

 

 

[Stere]

Mulch matting would have big positive impact on how well they would do/establish  might be worth considering but eco stuff is expensive.

 

If rabbit fencing consider the BS standards for the rabbit netting as many  chicken wire thats  sold as rabbit proof the holes are to big and if swg gauge thin they can chew though it ..

 

May be expensive though....but  I hate the plastic tree guards as they never seem to get removed, and who wants the job crawling along under a hawthorn hegde removing 4000 of them....

 

 

http://adlib.everysite.co.uk/resources/000/025/637/TIN023.pdf

 

Quote

The wire netting should be constructed of 18
gauge, 31 mm hexagonal mesh netting and
must conform to the British Standard which
measures mesh size across the widest part of

the hexagon. Other standards, such as the

European DIN, measure across the narrowest

part. Consequently, 31 mm DIN mesh is wider

than 31 mm BS mesh and is large enough to let
rabbits squeeze through. It is recommended that
the netting used is of 18 gauge wire as rabbits
may bite through the thinner 19 gauge wire.

 

 

 

[Commando]

2 minutes ago, Stere said:

Mulch matting would have big positive impact on how well they would do/establish  might be worth considering but eco stuff is expensive.

 

If rabbit fencing consider the BS standards for the rabbit netting as many  chicken wire thats  sold as rabbit proof the holes are to big and if swg gauge thin they can chew though it ..

 

May be expensive though....but  I hate the plastic tree guards as they never seem to get removed, and who wants the job crawling along under a hawthorn hegde removing 4000 of them....

 

 

http://adlib.everysite.co.uk/resources/000/025/637/TIN023.pdf

 

 

 

 

Yep valid points, not only a bitch to remove but also to get rid of! I believe there is self composting option available but no doubt that will add significant cost to a tight budget.

[Baldbloke]

Mulch matting would have big positive impact on how well they would do/establish  might be worth considering but eco stuff is expensive.
 
If rabbit fencing consider the BS standards for the rabbit netting as many  chicken wire thats  sold as rabbit proof the holes are to big and if swg gauge thin they can chew though it ..
 
May be expensive though....but  I hate the plastic tree guards as they never seem to get removed, and who wants the job crawling along under a hawthorn hegde removing 4000 of them....
 
 
http://adlib.everysite.co.uk/resources/000/025/637/TIN023.pdf
 

The wire netting should be constructed of 18
gauge, 31 mm hexagonal mesh netting and
must conform to the British Standard which
measures mesh size across the widest part of

the hexagon. Other standards, such as the

European DIN, measure across the narrowest

part. Consequently, 31 mm DIN mesh is wider

than 31 mm BS mesh and is large enough to let
rabbits squeeze through. It is recommended that
the netting used is of 18 gauge wire as rabbits
may bite through the thinner 19 gauge wire.

 
 
 


All good points here. Just goes to show that everything hasn’t improved in quality.

I believe some tree guards can break down saving that scenario. Although I can’t remember the last source I Bought from twelve years ago, my hedgerows have only the occasional tree guard remnant showing. Even the remaining unused guards in my darkened shed are now unusable as they’ve started to break down.

[Commando]

I don't have a rabbit problem in the field as of now.. not seen any, few hares only. Other option is to leave em unguarded....

[Woodworks]

For plants try Perry Hale nursery near Honiton. They were also good for advise 

[headgroundsman]

Pity you were not closer as i have some rabbit electric fencing you could buy/loan if you went unguarded and then found a problem

[Mrblue5000]

Farmer hat on here, we just run an old 2 furrow plough along where the hedge is going then plant whips alternatively along the furrows. Fencing the cattle out with 2 strands electric each side. If any die simply replant new whips the following winter.

[Baldbloke]

I don't have a rabbit problem in the field as of now.. not seen any, few hares only. Other option is to leave em unguarded....

The other issue is that relatively inaccessible young unguarded trees (between those stock fences) could become swamped by the grass/weeds.
Guards can also provide a micro-climate boosting their growth.

But if you haven’t got rabbits it would be very tempting to leave out the netting and guards.

A forward thinking local farmer who’d planted an 8 acre field with young hardwood whips buried in loads of dead thin 15 foot trunks for the local tawny owls to perch on. We’ve loads of shrews up here, plus regular snow cover, and yet he didn’t bother with guards, and his losses from shrews were minimal.
He did however net the perimeter as at the time we had rabbits.