Estimated time to make, to stock-proof (sheep only) levels, new hedge and maintain old one?

[waomdimp]

How long estimated to make a new dead/living hedge for 300ft run for an untrained person with the goal to stock-proof for sheep only? using none powered tools?

 

Then to coppice and lay in traditional fashion a very gappy, long unmaintained hedge running about 570ft? Not totally unmaintained as it was having the usual 'massacring' running by with a tractor but not any TLC on the ground.

 

First 300ft is priority to stock-proof as there are sheep in immediate other field. The owner refuses to communicate with me on the matter so just want to get on with making a new boundary within my own land.

 

I am thinking coppice the small woodland by intended hedge which consists of about 0.25 acres, mostly Aspen, a good amount of Hazel and a few Oak. Oak I read will die if coppiced? but the other two coppice them. They are all very similar heights of about 15-20ft. So coppice that and use for dead hedge and also live hedge, in time, by planting shoots. Oh and quite a few Willow about but not right by the area in question, so can add some whips of them too.

 

As above, the stock-proof must be immediate, since sheep are in the next field already.

 

For the old hedge I read it is perfectly acceptable and indicated to coppice that too, down to a workable level, and lay in the traditional fashion. Thinking I can also lay in the 'arisings' as per dead hedge to fill the gaps and plant the cut shoots from above from this year's growth.

 

I am conscious of the March 1st time limit to complete so perhaps the whole lot is overly ambitious? What about the 300ft though, which is most important? then the rest could be done from next Autumn.

Edited 13 hours ago by waomdimp

[Steven P]

If you have all the materials to hand then the dead hedge is reasonably quick to construct, there are a couple of threads on here (I think) with some others have made. Only ever done short stretches, last one was about 30' using a trampoline for supports - couple of hours to make that but most of the materials there to start with (curved shape so a little more work than a straight one). You'll also want to factor in some time over the years to top it up.

[GarethM]

Ignore the above convoluted bs, it'll never be stock proof any time soon regardless of how much work you do and they will find a way through regardless.

 

Get a local to flail it back into a straight line, get a fencer to run a new fence with stock fencing and plain wire top strands instead of barbed.

 

Then do you laying/gap filling at your leisure as that's going to be a very long process and in 5 years maybe it'll be stock proof.

[Fellstoflats]

For the sake of your sanity, wallet and personal life, get an ag contractor in to put up a proper stock fence. Depending on the breed, you could be trying to fence in smoke.. 

 

Once you've got it fenced, crack on with whatever hedging floats your boat, but I'd recommend leaving a gap between whatever you decide and the fence itself, for the sake of maintaining either.

[Mark Bolam]

Very harsh fellas.

 

Very true.