new to hedgelaying

[fleehillfarm]

Hello all - I have just started hedgelaying for the first time. The hedgerow that I inherited is little more than a row of small shrubs but I would love to restore it as it should be. The hedge is on a hill so I started at the top. and worked downhill laying the pleachers in an upward direction. Because of the sparse shrubs in places there wasnt enough pleachers to lay uphill and fill in all the gaps. My question is can I lay some of the pleachers the wrong way down instead of uphill to fill in the gaps whilst still laying them at an upward angle or is really not the done thing. I would be most grateful for any advice. Many thanks. Richard

[Welsh cleaning services]

I think anything laid downhill will die,maybe lay the gaps with spare material and pop some young hedge plants into the base of the gaps

[Will C]

You can double lay some things but it’s hard work and you will snap a few off!
 

Lay the stem down hill then repleach turning the head back uphill. As long as the top is higher than the root it will work it’s self out. 
infill planting could be a easier / safer bet. 

[organic guy]

Double laying is the next level. Competition next!

Depending on species and strength of regrowth most of your pleachers will be dead in 10 years. You are reliant on regrowth from the stowell for the long term hedge.

If you have big plants lay down hill, filling gaps is the main aim.

Pictures please, for you and us!

[Will C]

Double laying is completion level but if you can master it a bloody useful tool in the box for general work as well 👍 good luck and as said let us see what you are working with and the results 

[fleehillfarm]

• Many thanks for the replies guys. I probably didnt make myself very clear. Although I am laying some of the pleachers downhill the opposite way that I am working, I am making sure that they are still layed at a 30 or 40 degree angle upwards to facilitate the sap rising. I thought it may be more important to fill all the gaps to make the hedge as stockproof as possible than to keep to the principle of always laying in the same direction. I will try to upload some pictures but my technological skills are somewhat lacking. Like Trigger in Only Fools I'm still struggling with light switches. 

[Stere]

Quote

Lay the stem down hill then repleach turning the head back uphill. As long as the top is higher than the root it will work it’s self out. 

 

 

Never seen that   any pictures anywhere of that technique with the  180 degree  pleach sounds abit hard to do....

[Will C]

3 hours ago, fleehillfarm said:

• Many thanks for the replies guys. I probably didnt make myself very clear. Although I am laying some of the pleachers downhill the opposite way that I am working, I am making sure that they are still layed at a 30 or 40 degree angle upwards to facilitate the sap rising. I thought it may be more important to fill all the gaps to make the hedge as stockproof as possible than to keep to the principle of always laying in the same direction. I will try to upload some pictures but my technological skills are somewhat lacking. Like Trigger in Only Fools I'm still struggling with light switches. 

If the head is still higher then the root your fine, function over form is the order of the day 👍

[Will C]

3 hours ago, Stere said:

 

 

Never seen that   any pictures anywhere of that technique with the  180 degree  pleach sounds abit hard to do....

It can be hard to do, when I have to do it I tend to use a side branch that grows out at as close to 90 deg as I can find to fold back again. I will hunt for a pic but won’t promise as I’m not good at taking pics, I’m more of a head down and crack on mentally. 

[fleehillfarm]

Hello again. Many thanks for all the replies. I finally managed to upload some before and after pictures. The third one shows the pleachers laid the 'wrong' way. Any comments on what I may have done wrong would be appreciated even if only to tell me what a mess i've made.😁