Best hedging for shelter on farm

PatQfarmer

Am planting a new hedge (180m) to divide up and give shelter to paddocks mainly used for calves.
Whitethorn is great, but not much shelter in winter.
Don't want lleylandii.
As these paddocks will be used a lot over winter, what is the best windbreak(other than a shed!).
Nursery suggested Red Robin.
Laurel grows well and gives great shelter, but it is poisonous.
I have planted lots of Whitethorn and Beech around farm, but beech a bit expensive for that length of farm hedging.
Any suggestions please?

Birdnuts

Privet and/or Box hedging might be an option. A Holly element would work with this combo too.

Belongamick

Bought some western red cedar recently - like palm and not as aggressive as leylandia. Spruce after a few years?

bbam

Hornbeam might be an option... Similar to beech, tolerates better range of soils, holds leaves in winter but about 30-40% cheaper..

Farmer Pudsey

if it is not a long length of hedge Esclonia fairly vigorous 4' in 4 years ( at least 1/2 the price of beech and easy to get bare rooted will have to fence for cattle as it is not stock proof one length of electric fence keep away from palms even red ceder as when you cut back too far they will not regrow and even the non vigorous will still grow 18'' a year

1chippy

whitethorn and holly mix, works a treat and looks really well.

PatQfarmer

Thanks to all for suggestions.
Will go with the Whitethorn and mix in a few beech and holly.
Grass sprayed, now just got to pay for hedging, plant it and fence...
Don't suppose any of you are free over the next week or so?:D

Bizzum

PatQfarmer wrote: »

Thanks to all for suggestions.
Will go with the Whitethorn and mix in a few beech and holly.

For the purpose of biodiversity don't hesitate to stick Dog Rose, Spindle and Hazel into the mix!

greysides

PatQfarmer wrote: »

Am planting a new hedge (180m) to divide up and give shelter to paddocks mainly used for calves.
Whitethorn is great, but not much shelter in winter.

Just want to take you up on this point.

I think you are assuming that you need a solid, or 'near-solid' barrier for shelter.

With a solid shelter, like a wall, the wind curls over the top into the partial vacuum behind the wall causing eddies so there isn't the shelter there you'd expect.

The best shelters are those that leave some wind through, at reduced velocity, and thus prevents eddies forming.

Hawthorn/Whitethorn is considered the 'King of Hedging' and has been the mainstay of stock-proof hedging for centuries. You can't go wrong with it.

PatQfarmer

greysides wrote: »

Just want to take you up on this point.

I think you are assuming that you need a solid, or 'near-solid' barrier for shelter.

With a solid shelter, like a wall, the wind curls over the top into the partial vacuum behind the wall causing eddies so there isn't the shelter there you'd expect.

The best shelters are those that leave some wind through, at reduced velocity, and thus prevents eddies forming.

Hawthorn/Whitethorn is considered the 'King of Hedging' and has been the mainstay of stock-proof hedging for centuries. You can't go wrong with it.

Thanks greysides, I will go with that recommendation.:)

Bizzum

Useful article in the Journal this week about hedging!

pakalasa

You really can't beat Whitethorn. I've pushed some cut-offs straight down into the ground during the winter and they've grown.

MikeSoys

After several years of plugging gaps in old whitethorn hedgers (I think the hedges were planted about 40-50 years ago) and having loads of cuts and scrapes to show for it; I'm starting to think about just replanting whitethorn in those gaps (the gaps are anything from 2 foot to 3 foot sporadically placed about the place)...but I'm still at the early stages of this idea and am enquiring if someone can advise how many whitethorn one would normally plant per meter - I think people would normally plant two row for a new hedge (from my reading)?, but I think this would only be applicable for me in certain areas (like farm border etc...) otherwise it's just to keep my cattle from taking shortcuts from field to field when the gate is open - I'm not in REPS and was [for cost] just going to do it myself..if I can get some deal [200 plants or something like that for a decent price] I think it might be wise in the long term - as bull wire/fencing nails seems to be lighter/weaker each year I buy more.
Q1 > What's the recommended plant of whitethorn per meter (single row and for double row)?


Q2 > If the potential area is a gap between existing whitethorn is it ok if I just create a hole for the new bust with the spade and pop it in (no fertiliser or anything)?


Q3 > If there is a area with no existing hedge (like a border of a bog) but some wire nearly covered with brambles do i really need to cut the brambles with a trimmer or anything?

..sorry for the long msg - but any advice would be appreciated !

MikeSoys

After several years of plugging gaps in old whitethorn hedgers (I think the hedges were planted about 40-50 years ago) and having loads of cuts and scrapes to show for it; I'm starting to think about just replanting whitethorn in those gaps (the gaps are anything from 2 foot to 3 foot sporadically placed about the place)...but I'm still at the early stages of this idea and am enquiring if someone can advise how many whitethorn one would normally plant per meter - I think people would normally plant two row for a new hedge (from my reading)?, but I think this would only be applicable for me in certain areas (like farm border etc...) otherwise it's just to keep my cattle from taking shortcuts from field to field when the gate is open - I'm not in REPS and was [for cost] just going to do it myself..if I can get some deal [200 plants or something like that for a decent price] I think it might be wise in the long term - as bull wire/fencing nails seems to be lighter/weaker each year I buy more.
Q1 > What's the recommended plant of whitethorn per meter (single row and for double row)?


Q2 > If the potential area is a gap between existing whitethorn is it ok if I just create a hole for the new bust with the spade and pop it in (no fertiliser or anything)?


Q3 > If there is a area with no existing hedge (like a border of a bog) but some wire nearly covered with brambles do i really need to cut the brambles with a trimmer or anything?

..sorry for the long msg - but any advice would be appreciated !

Bizzum

I think it's gone a bit late in the year now for sticking in bareroot.

MikeSoys

yeah its the last from nov- feb or the like ..right...but im just looking at costing at tis stage and if it would be worth it...

Good loser

MikeSoys wrote: »

After several years of plugging gaps in old whitethorn hedgers (I think the hedges were planted about 40-50 years ago) and having loads of cuts and scrapes to show for it; I'm starting to think about just replanting whitethorn in those gaps (the gaps are anything from 2 foot to 3 foot sporadically placed about the place)...but I'm still at the early stages of this idea and am enquiring if someone can advise how many whitethorn one would normally plant per meter - I think people would normally plant two row for a new hedge (from my reading)?, but I think this would only be applicable for me in certain areas (like farm border etc...) otherwise it's just to keep my cattle from taking shortcuts from field to field when the gate is open - I'm not in REPS and was [for cost] just going to do it myself..if I can get some deal [200 plants or something like that for a decent price] I think it might be wise in the long term - as bull wire/fencing nails seems to be lighter/weaker each year I buy more.
Q1 > What's the recommended plant of whitethorn per meter (single row and for double row)?


Q2 > If the potential area is a gap between existing whitethorn is it ok if I just create a hole for the new bust with the spade and pop it in (no fertiliser or anything)?


Q3 > If there is a area with no existing hedge (like a border of a bog) but some wire nearly covered with brambles do i really need to cut the brambles with a trimmer or anything?

..sorry for the long msg - but any advice would be appreciated !

Q1 About 1 ft apart

Q2 Yes

Q3 No

I like blackthorn for stock proofing - it spreads underground and put up new shoots.

Bizzum

MikeSoys wrote: »

yeah its the last from nov- feb or the like ..right...but im just looking at costing at tis stage and if it would be worth it...

200 quicks won't come into huge money. Depending on the age/size of them. €30-50/ a 100.
They are easy enough grown, but like anything don't like to be competing with weeds or grasses.
A few holly, hazel, dogrose, or spindle mixed through make for an attractive hedge.

Farmer Pudsey

Mike if you are putting into an existing hedge buy good quicks. These are usually 18" -24" are ver bushy and have good root systems. Forget about the cheap single quicks. Plant in November so that they are established by March. Plant with a spade and make sure that no air can get into roots over first winter. Cut back to 6" high. Spray around with roundup so as they can establish during the first year. By all means plant a bit of other stuff as well.

The trick is to buy good quality quicks at the most they will cost 10 euro/100 extra.

Jonblack

Farmer Pudsey wrote: »

Mike if you are putting into an existing hedge buy good quicks. These are usually 18" -24" are ver bushy and have good root systems. Forget about the cheap single quicks. Plant in November so that they are established by March. Plant with a spade and make sure that no air can get into roots over first winter. Cut back to 6" high. Spray around with roundup so as they can establish during the first year. By all means plant a bit of other stuff as well.

The trick is to buy good quality quicks at the most they will cost 10 euro/100 extra.

Cheap will always work out more than you expect. Got great price for beech last year, most failed about 95% . New hedge in the cost of cheap plus the cost to replace with more expensive = very very expensive including my time. As said put a mix in will look much much better when mature.

DMAXMAN

afaik you can buy bare rooted hedgind at this time of year that has been cold stored. when planted into warm? soils they take off really quickly. best jobs done around here are covered with plastic and gravel and cut back to 4 inches. makes a lovely dense hedge in 2 years

1chippy

We would always plant whitethorn at 6" spacings. usually just push the crowbar down widen the hole , stick in the quick then pack around them with a bit of 2" pipe. really fast and hasnt failed us yet.

99nsr125

You'd ideally want a cheap, fast growing, native evergreen.

As you know a good hedge takes time to develope but this is how we rejuvenate old stretch's and fill gaps.

Willow quicks planted 5 to the metre, make a hole with a screwdriver or bar, put the quick in the hole and firm in with your heel.

The willow will grow fast and can be weaved together, it's also not protected under any of the forestry acts.

The other side plant Strawberry trees, juniper and box, these 3 ain't cheap but are all native and qualify under the different enviroment schemes.

99nsr125

My mistake

"Strawberry trees, juniper and box"

are not under AEOS

Holly and Yew are

greysides

Yew would not be good in a stock hedge.