Advice please. Planting a mixed hedge

[Will Ayers]

I think whips are a bit different to 3 metres of western red!

[carlos]

do you need to turn the soil? if the digging is easy maybe just spray the grass with roundup and then strim when dead or leave.

[hedgesparrow]

i would get geotex membrane save hassel of a rotavator. it comes in rolls lay it one end peg down with tent pegs roll it out pegging as you go. when done stanly knife make a cross trenching shovel dig a spit and put wip in and push spit back. geotex will stop majority of weeds coming back.

rotavate all it will do is make it easy to get wips in but next year weeds will be back. you do not have a area you are from if nr Oxford murry Mc Cleen abingdon does the plants and does the machine to dig and put them in for hire.

Edited December 1, 2013 by hedgesparrow

[Will Ayers]

I like the idea of just banging them in under a membrane. That could work.

[headgroundsman]

Small trailer behind the quad and put a pole through the roll of weed suppressing material, Fasten it under the quad with the tyres of the trailer on the material. Put the plants and some wood mulch in the trailer. As you move the material rolls out. Plant through and enough wood chip to hold it in place. Works a treat. Two men did 250 m in 3 days!

[farmer rod]

Small trailer behind the quad and put a pole through the roll of weed suppressing material, Fasten it under the quad with the tyres of the trailer on the material. Put the plants and some wood mulch in the trailer. As you move the material rolls out. Plant through and enough wood chip to hold it in place. Works a treat. Two men did 250 m in 3 days!

 

That sounds like a well thought out plan, wish I had thought of that!

 

 

We pegged our textile down with the pegs and that works fine. Having been a sceptic of the plastic, I now wouldnt dream of planting without, we have done a couple of Km some of it in iffy ground and its grown away really well from just a slit in the fabric, make a slot with a draining spade and heel in well.

[Will Ayers]

That sounds like a brilliant method HeadGroundsMan. I'll have to try that out. We're planting quite close to a fence so it might be tricky. Cheers for the advice everyone. My plan is to turn the soil over and put the sheet down in one day, then get the plants and guards in in three days.

[oslac]

My take would be :

Rotorvate a soil strip 750mm wide, including turf.

Plant a doubled stagered row of bare root or pot grown whips 500mm between plants and 300mm between rows (4 per metre).

Remove upper third of whip after planting to initiate bud break at the base of the plant.

Do not use spiral guards - waste of time and ruins the hedge. Instead set out a mesh wire fence (anti-rabbit) along the whole length of the hedgerow.

Spread semi-composted bark mulch 100 mm deep across the whole bed.

Top up bark mulch annually or as required.

[Will Ayers]

Thanks for the advice Oslac. I think I'm going to have to put a barrier down as the customers are quite insistent on a more permanent weed protection but I'm kind of glad that you have recommended rotavating the whole lot grass and all, that was really my main question.

[hedgesparrow]

My take would be :

Rotorvate a soil strip 750mm wide, including turf.

Plant a doubled stagered row of bare root or pot grown whips 500mm between plants and 300mm between rows (4 per metre).

Remove upper third of whip after planting to initiate bud break at the base of the plant.

Do not use spiral guards - waste of time and ruins the hedge. Instead set out a mesh wire fence (anti-rabbit) along the whole length of the hedgerow.

Spread semi-composted bark mulch 100 mm deep across the whole bed.

Top up bark mulch annually or as required.

 

on planting 5 per mtr is better for when it needs laying in 12 years time. and staggard planting a boot apart plus it helps if you get plants die off