Lapsed Beech Hedge Management Advice

[Nimby]

Just looking for management options on this. Clearly supposed to be planted as a beech hedge but never managed. These are roughly 10 - 25cm dbh and after advice as to if it is too late to try and make a hedge out of it? Will a 50 - 75% reduction kill the trees or will it then become potentially a manageable hedge? 

 

[organic guy]

Lay it !

[Steven P]

Beech will coppice so if it is cut low should regrow? Not sure the best time of year for that though - might be leaving it a bit late this year.

[openspaceman]

5 hours ago, Steven P said:

Beech will coppice so if it is cut low should regrow? Not sure the best time of year for that though - might be leaving it a bit late this year.

It depends on the provenance (genotype) and perceived wisdom is that it needs to be done when the stem is less than 35 years old.

[Steven P]

Didn't know that, thanks.

[Welshfred]

Beech doesn't coppice well at all in my experience. That "hedge" will be even more of a problem in years to come though. I doubt you'll kill it if you cut it in half but I don't think it will become a nice hedge either. Maybe reduce gradually over a few years and keep an eye on a few that might come out as nice Pollard's? Bit late this year for drastic action though.

Or clearfell and replant. Then hedge.

[jimboy]

I don't think these beech trees were ever planted as a hedge judging by the spacing. I had a situation like this a few years back when a customer's garden was shaded by a thick/ line of beech hedging/trees of similar height, and she applied to the council under the High Hedge (Scotland) Act 2013 to have it reduced. The case went to the Sheriff Court where the owners of the hedge/trees pleaded that they had a need for it for peace and tranquillity and haven for wildlife etc. Upshot was the sheriff ruled that a gap of eighteen feet could be cut out in the middle, with it reduced to six feet in height, but the remainder on either side was to be left intact.

Cut the middle section down to six feet, leaving an angled cut raised towards the highest branch. Looks bloody silly mind.

Admittedly there was a lot more side growth on this hedge but there was plenty regrowth the following year.

At the end of the day, reduce your trees to the height of the fence behind, and consider further planting in the gaps. And now is a good time to do it with plenty of rain about to aid regrowth.