Repairing neglected whitethorn hedge

mayota

I have some whitethorn hedges that havent been attended to in over 20 years. They are growing about 12' high and fairly open at the bottom and therefore not stockproof. What would be needed to get them to thicken, I have been told to cut off fully at about 18", would this work? Thanks.

dzer2

mayota wrote: »

I have some whitethorn hedges that havent been attended to in over 20 years. They are growing about 12' high and fairly open at the bottom and therefore not stockproof. What would be needed to get them to thicken, I have been told to cut off fully at about 18", would this work? Thanks.

Yeah cut out every other one and chop the second one down to 500mm off ground and about every 5th one half cut it and weave it through the stumps that are left.

Bizzum

mayota wrote: »

I have some whitethorn hedges that havent been attended to in over 20 years. They are growing about 12' high and fairly open at the bottom and therefore not stockproof. What would be needed to get them to thicken, I have been told to cut off fully at about 18", would this work? Thanks.

Lay them.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHsZDa7T6Bo

(Hear the Buzzard in the background at the start:))

onyerbikepat

Not an easy job to lay them. A lot of skill to it. A lot of them will break where you slit them. Used to do it years ago with the father. A good way to warm up on a cold frosty day though.

jomoloney

if you are cutting back, cut at an angle , this will help water to run off

td5man

jomoloney wrote: »

if you are cutting back, cut at an angle , this will help water to run off

Facing the sun if possible as it stops them rotting.

JohnBoy

if your sole interest is stockproofing you could lay them with a digger.

scrape down each side of the trees first, then start at the end and fold each one over. it'll look dog rough for the next 5 years or so, but done right it's instantly stockproof and by the time the whitethorn rots the new growth will have taken over. keep em trimmed in future and they'll be thick forever.

mayota

Thanks for the replies. Most of them would be too thick and would break if bent over. Have digger here but thought they would die if i smashed them over. If cut to 18" when would i see regrowth?

dzer2

mayota wrote: »

Thanks for the replies. Most of them would be too thick and would break if bent over. Have digger here but thought they would die if i smashed them over. If cut to 18" when would i see regrowth?

Next yr they will sprout.
If you cut them half way through they shouldn't break off and they will sprout all the length of the bow.