Why hedge cutting?

crackcrack30

Why do we do so much hedge cutting? What is the real reasoning behind it?
I was looking out the window the other morning (cup in hand) at a 200m odd sterile low crop cut stump of a ditch with not a bird in sight....& I had paid someone to cut it.....


I'm all for hedge cutting along the roadside and I believe we all are going to hear more about this soon (due so storm & ESB) but what is the over all reasoning for such an expensive yearly practice inland ....


I know about the need for sunlight around crops and such.....but is that the main /only reason...


Wouldn't you think there would be a minimum width/ height that would have to be left for the birds and plants....


just asking....

agriman27

If you don't trim the top of them they start growing up tall and then the bottom gets thin and leggy and no longer stock proof as cattle and sheep make holes to gain access to the greener grass on the other :rolleyes:. I also think that if they get too high it blocks of the light which is important to dry ground up after a wet spell, everyone knows how difficult it is to make hay in a shaded wee field:)

crackcrack30

From what i've seen in modern times with no time for hedge laying ect most if not all hedges/ditches round here need barbed wire to ensure they are stock proof...

Genghis Cant

crackcrack30 wrote: »

Why do we do so much hedge cutting? What is the real reasoning behind it?
I was looking out the window the other morning (cup in hand) at a 200m odd sterile low crop cut stump of a ditch with not a bird in sight.....

I ask myself the same question. There's got to be a better way. The hedges are been battered to death.

agriman27

crackcrack30 wrote: »

From what i've seen in modern times with no time for hedge laying ect most if not all hedges/ditches round here need barbed wire to ensure they are stock proof...

That's true, most of our ditches are not stock proof anymore I have loads of electric fences around them. Laying hedges is a tough time consuming job and we are plagued with hares that eat every new whitethorn hedge and other whitethorns i plant to repair holes in old hedges :mad:

Miname

id plant a fair bit of hedging every year but i also like getting them trimmed. its one thing maintaining hedges but its a different thing when lads scalp an old hedge with trees to try and bring it down to a lower level. new hedges can be trained in to stay tight but with some of the older ones if they havent been trimmed regularly the bottom branches become non existent.

crackcrack30

Good point.... Where do REPS stand on hedge/ditch cutting, I know there is a strict season for cutting but what is their goal with regard to encouraging nesting , fruit and small animals.....


I'm going to have a fresh look at what I'm at with regard to some of my ditches to see if it makes any difference to nature and shelter ect, try and give something back and maybe save a few quid.

Birdnuts

crackcrack30 wrote: »

Good point.... Where do REPS stand on hedge/ditch cutting, I know there is a strict season for cutting but what is their goal with regard to encouraging nesting , fruit and small animals.....


I'm going to have a fresh look at what I'm at with regard to some of my ditches to see if it makes any difference to nature and shelter ect, try and give something back and maybe save a few quid.

An "A" shaped hedge is best for stock proofing, birds and preventing over shading. That is what the "experts" recommend from the bit I've read on the subject. Makes sense too when you think about. I would agree with a lot of the comments here about too many hedges being scalped to death, leaving them useless for any purpose. Many contactors appear to be clueless when it comes to trimming hedges or advising clients on what is needed to maintain a viable hedge. Its important to note too that all hedges are protected from cutting from now till the end of August(except for road safety) by law to protect nesting birds.

crackcrack30

Any pics of an A shaped hedge...... mine look like something in the Somme or flanders in WW2...

Birdnuts

crackcrack30 wrote: »

Any pics of an A shaped hedge...... mine look like something in the Somme or flanders in WW2...

My place in coastal North Mayo doesn't grow great hedges in the traditional sense - more stone walls(though I've put in some White thorn a few years back that will need shaping soon). Below is a link to shaping hedges with diagrams of "A" shaped hedges that would work well in most of the country.

http://www.google.ie/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=web&cd=20&ved=0CHMQFjAJOAo&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chilternsaonb.org%2Fuploads%2Ffiles%2FAboutTheChilterns%2FFarming%2Ffarming_hedge_mgt.pdf&ei=64snU72eFNHwhQe734HYDw&usg=AFQjCNFFJ6L77Yr8Qc2__8ROciOD21DrcA

farmernewbie

Miname wrote: »

id plant a fair bit of hedging every year but i also like getting them trimmed. its one thing maintaining hedges but its a different thing when lads scalp an old hedge with trees to try and bring it down to a lower level. new hedges can be trained in to stay tight but with some of the older ones if they havent been trimmed regularly the bottom branches become non existent.

Hi Miname,

Do you buy the plants? I have a few gaps appearing and need to tackle them or else electric fence the hole place which is costly. Have whitethorns appearing in the field that I need to cut so they don't damage mowers but still have holes in hedges.

Just wondering can I use cuttings from other whitethorns and grow them in a pot for a few weeks and replant?

Reggie.

farmernewbie wrote: »

Hi Miname,

Do you buy the plants? I have a few gaps appearing and need to tackle them or else electric fence the hole place which is costly. Have whitethorns appearing in the field that I need to cut so they don't damage mowers but still have holes in hedges.

Just wondering can I use cuttings from other whitethorns and grow them in a pot for a few weeks and replant?

We have a wood on our lad and I pull a few saplings out of the ground from around the beech trees and re sow them where required

joela

A good idea may be to talk to the Heritage Officer in your area, they'd have some idea if grants are available for planting and what the current situation with is with REPS etc. You can usually find them by looking on the County Council website or try here http://www.heritagecouncil.ie/county-heritage-services/contacts/heritage-officers/ This is a really useful looking publication from The Heritage council http://www.heritagecouncil.ie/fileadmin/user_upload/Publications/Wildlife/hedge.pdf which talks about maintenance and planting.

There was also a new Hedgerow Appraisal system launched last year and there is more information available on this website http://www.biodiversityireland.ie/biodiversity-data/national-standards/hedgerow-appraisal-system/

I'm delighted to see farmers talking about increasing biodiversity and planting/strengthening hedgerows. Fair play to you all!