Overhanging trees in fields

Jb1989

GrasstoMilk wrote: »

You'll be waiting for a scheme like that imo

They all say they care about the hedges abd the trees but no one can tell us what value they have to the environment or what carbon they sequester

It's a joke

All environmental schemes this last donkeys years have included hedge restructuring, mainly the copicing option.

I'll be very surprised if that just stops all of a sudden.

jaymla627

memorystick wrote: »

Slightly off track but is there more dead ash this year than last year? I’ve a few with no leaves at top and saw a good few bare ones across the nation this week

Very few ash trees locally not riddled with dieback, even trees with leaves have it here when you cut them up

893bet

GrasstoMilk wrote: »

You'll be waiting for a scheme like that imo

They all say they care about the hedges abd the trees but no one can tell us what value they have to the environment or what carbon they sequester

It's a joke

New reap scheme includes a rating linked to payment for hedge rows. And also an optional payment to fund planting a new hedge row.

lukin

893bet wrote: »

I mean this in the nicest way but suspect I may come across as dick.

If you father is retired and you are “looking after things” then wasting time and money going in there with track machines cutting the hedges ain’t looking after much IMO. It strikes me you are doing it as it looks like it might need doing as you see nicely cut hedges around the place. It’s not really going to increase the rent or anything is it? Is the tenant complaining?

If there are big trees leave them. If one falls on the wire the tenant will soon get it off it and clear it as it will be in his way and his cattle may escape. Also he may have the land entered into a scheme (e.g Reap) which means the hedges need to be allowed grow “wilder” so that he gets his payment.

Cliffs. Look after something else!

That's not the reason I want to do it. You can't just leave trees grow and grow, eventually they get so heavy at the top they keel over, landing on the fence wire and then the cattle break out . I am surprised to see people here saying "Ah sure let them grow away, what harm are they doing".
It strikes me as a typical Irish "yerra it'll be grand" attitude.

Dinzee Conlee

lukin wrote: »

That's not the reason I want to do it. You can't just leave trees grow and grow, eventually they get so heavy at the top they keel over, landing on the fence wire and then the cattle break out . I am surprised to see people here saying "Ah sure let them grow away, what harm are they doing".
It strikes me as a typical Irish "yerra it'll be grand" attitude.

If you cut the ivy from them, they shouldn’t keel over for a long long time. And if they do, it would most likely be in a storm, which would most likely be in winter, when most likely the cattle would be in...

I don’t think it’s the sheep, it’ll be grand’ attitude... (although maybe it is a little with me too)
But maybe as well you need to see trees as a resource, for shade and shelter for animals. They don’t need to be trimmed back all the time...

893bet

lukin wrote: »

That's not the reason I want to do it. You can't just leave trees grow and grow, eventually they get so heavy at the top they keel over, landing on the fence wire and then the cattle break out . I am surprised to see people here saying "Ah sure let them grow away, what harm are they doing".
It strikes me as a typical Irish "yerra it'll be grand" attitude.

The majority here are farmers. The majority here are saying prob leave the hedge alone. As mentioned the farmer may be in an agri scheme that pays to allow the hedge grow naturally.

Trees don’t fall over as often as you think. It’s easy clear if it does. Cattle don’t break out as that happens during the winter (your tenant is not out wintering) in storm season. Most farmers walk their bounds in the spring checking for weakness. This is his problem in any case.

Trees form an important part of a hedge. In reap you are required to mark hedge plants every thirty metres as trees ie commit to never cutting them back to hedge level and let them mature.

893bet

Dinzee Conlee wrote: »

If you cut the ivy from them, they shouldn’t keel over for a long long time. And if they do, it would most likely be in a storm, which would most likely be in winter, when most likely the cattle would be in...

I don’t think it’s the sheep, it’ll be grand’ attitude... (although maybe it is a little with me too)
But maybe as well you need to see trees as a resource, for shade and shelter for animals. They don’t need to be trimmed back all the time...

Great minds think alike! And great point on the shade. You can see in the image the cattle gather under there for shelter even.

wrangler

lukin wrote: »

That's not the reason I want to do it. You can't just leave trees grow and grow, eventually they get so heavy at the top they keel over, landing on the fence wire and then the cattle break out . I am surprised to see people here saying "Ah sure let them grow away, what harm are they doing".
It strikes me as a typical Irish "yerra it'll be grand" attitude.

I'd be the same as you , I like to keep them tidy, there's plenty of trees laround without letting mine get in a mess.
If it's not that way at the moment it will shortly get impossible to keep a stock proof fence in it and when you go renovate it half the hedge will be dead/rotten from neglect.
I can assure you the advice here does not represent most farmers

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Cq7ibJcORg&t=49s

This is my land getting silage cut, you'll see some of the hedges aren't topped but kept breasted and others are trimmed on the top and sides.
but the hedges that are left grow up will shortly need to be cut down or there'll be no hedge/fence

_Brian

jaymla627 wrote: »

Very few ash trees locally not riddled with dieback, even trees with leaves have it here when you cut them up

Same here in west Cavan, I don’t think there is an ash tree abkut not badly affected

It was noticeable travelling from Athlone via granard back home much fewer trees affected nearer Athlone. We saw plenty of fully grown ash with no aparant disease at all, full trees in full leaf, looking great.

K.G.

lukin wrote: »

That's not the reason I want to do it. You can't just leave trees grow and grow, eventually they get so heavy at the top they keel over, landing on the fence wire and then the cattle break out . I am surprised to see people here saying "Ah sure let them grow away, what harm are they doing".
It strikes me as a typical Irish "yerra it'll be grand" attitude.

I don't think it's a yera attitude.from the picture they are fine trees and the place is fenced well and it isn't just us that are in this world.i m no tree hugger and will cut away if needs be but a few trees on borders are nice and if they go down just get out the saw and cut athat rather than allowing for things that may never happen

delldelivery

wrangler wrote: »

there's plenty of trees around without letting mine get in a mess.

I believe you'll find theres not "plenty of trees around".

wrangler

delldelivery wrote: »

I believe you'll find theres not "plenty of trees around".

Having had sheep all my life I've had plenty of experience of farmers with the electric fence out 2ft from the ditch same as lukins land. it is not sustainable and the ditch will rot.
I laughed at a dairy farmer lately having land near a mountain and the goats comong through a neglected hedge that was rotten. Had he maintained the hedge it would have been stockproof from both sides. He deserved all the hassle he got, people think one strand of electric fence is fenced.

roosterman71

I don't see any issue with the pic the OP sent, apart from a few branches possibly interfering with machinery. If that's the case, trim those back and leave the rest growing away. You can see marks where cattle are using that spot for shelter. It's serving a purpose for them, and also whatever other wildlife is there. Trees and hedges growing is good. We should let them (but maintain them!)

OP, what part of the country are you in? I know a man with a digger and saw/mulcher who would make short work of it. I know another lad that will cut the timber up and bring it away, leaving you with just the tops to sort out.

Come September, and you still want to tackle the job, having cattle on it is no hinderence to do the hedges. Just ask the farmer renting if it's OK to go do the job.

Check out the land lease agreement. There may be something in there around hedge maintenance. Onus could be on the farmer here, not you, if it's in the agreement. They should also be responsible for the fence as part of the agreement.

Trees don't fall too often. When they do, often times it's easier manage them then. It looks like a single strand of wire which would be repaired in minutes. If a tree falls and knocks the fence, and cattle get out that will be the farmers issue.

MeadowMaker

Can you cut gorse bushes or is that not allowed till sept?

Bog Man 1

A mulcher on a track machine would tidy back that overhang . We got a lot done in the last two years and it has improved the thickness of the hedges . I would not take anything off the height just mulch the sides . There will be no clearing up after .

Donald Trump

lukin wrote: »

I need to cut them because eventually they will fall over on the fence wire.
The photo attached is from last November. That one has got bigger since. You can see what I mean about the field getting too wet for machinery to travel on. I need someone with a kind of tree shearing machine. I am not well-versed in farming practices so this is all new to me.
Btw I am as environmentally aware as anyone, I certainly don't want to disturb birds nests.

Jaysus. I was expecting the photo to be of briars and furze halfway across the field!

Chisler2

lukin wrote: »

My father has his land leased, he is retired with a good few years. I look after things for him now and I have a bit of a problem. The hedges around some of the fields were never trimmed back and now they have grown so much that they are more like trees than hedges. I walked a few of the fields there this evening and I was shocked how large they have become. In one place a tree in the ditch had fallen and I had to cut it and remove it. I can see a few more that will keel over soon.
The electric fencing wire is not being interfered with by the trees because last summer I cut the branches of the hedge that were growing at that level.
But the ones overhead are the problem now, I would get them cut by someone during the summer except I can't because the person we have the land leased to has cattle on it. He moves them around from field to field. He also cuts silage from some of the fields. I could ask him could he not graze the fields that have the overgrown ditches but I don't really want to do that as I don't want to make waves. The only alternative is to get those trees cut in the winter time when the leasee has the cattle taken off the land but the fields in question would be wet and machinery could not travel on them. They would actually be hard enough to walk on in some places. It's not boggy land but every field get wet after torrential rain. Another issue is that the trees that are cut down will have to be moved somewhere and believe me there will be a lot of stuff to move. Whoever does it would need a tractor and a large trailer. All the cutting and transporting of what has been cut would take ages. As regards the cutting of the trees themselves it is a job for a chainsaw and ladder (possibly even a platform hoist).
I am kind of worried about it, it's a massive job and would take ages to do.
Financially I can afford it but it's the timing is the problem. Has anyone here had this problem before? I suppose you all have your hedges trimmed back every year so you don't have this issue.

Your concern is that the trees will fall. Without viewing your hedgerow there is no way I can know if your fears are realistic. If you "garland off" the ivy from an easy-to-reach section of the trunk (just a couple of feet will suffice) the ivy above the cut dies off as it is separated from its roots and nurture. Native deciduous trees in old hedgerow are very hardy and long-lived and they die slowly and with dignity. In the interim they shelter your fields and stock, drain the land (you will have an even wetter field if you take them out!!!) and provide food and habitat to bird and wildlife which help keep down pest-depredation. Our old hedges are a gift to the farmer. Unfortunately we are losing them fast.

embraer170

Chisler2 wrote: »

Your concern is that the trees will fall. Without viewing your hedgerow there is no way I can know if your fears are realistic. If you "garland off" the ivy from an easy-to-reach section of the trunk (just a couple of feet will suffice) the ivy above the cut dies off as it is separated from its roots and nurture. Native deciduous trees in old hedgerow are very hardy and long-lived and they die slowly and with dignity. In the interim they shelter your fields and stock, drain the land (you will have an even wetter field if you take them out!!!) and provide food and habitat to bird and wildlife which help keep down pest-depredation. Our old hedges are a gift to the farmer. Unfortunately we are losing them fast.

That’s a message that should be shared far and wide.

tellmeabit

lukin wrote: »

I need to cut them because eventually they will fall over on the fence wire.
The photo attached is from last November. That one has got bigger since. You can see what I mean about the field getting too wet for machinery to travel on. I need someone with a kind of tree shearing machine. I am not well-versed in farming practices so this is all new to me.
Btw I am as environmentally aware as anyone, I certainly don't want to disturb birds nests.

I've similar in a few fields, well they would be bigger trees, ash and sycamore. Used be cutting the hanging branches but the tractors are getting taller and the branches are higher up now that have arched out and down. I'm hoping to get a few if them cut with one of those circular saw attachments after silage. Just knock off a few branches for a few years again. And the side along the road is getting dangerously high in case they fall out on to eh road. Will try top them.
Found an amount of broken branches this year in the spring, didn't cut it 1st time round incase bust any machinery. Ate it, picked and rolled.

lukin

It's not a matter of aesthetics that I want them cut. Trees/branches that are drooping like that will eventually fall over. I'd prefer that not to happen, it could be like that for weeks and I wouldn't know about it.
They are trimmed at the bottom because that is where the fence wire is and I cut the branches there.
The mulcher seems to be the way to go. Although some of the branches are fairly thick, I hope that machine will be able to mulch them. I'd really need to get whoever is doing it to come and take a look first.
I thought the level of growth was fairly bad in that pic I posted but there are worse ones on that particular hedge.
A few who replies didn't think it was that bad. I'd hate to see their hedges so.

roosterman71

To be honest OP, you would have been better off coming in here asking did anyone have a mulcher and leave it at that. The way yer going on is way OTT in my view. That hedge/tree looks perfect from the picture. Branches hanging are not a cause for a tree to fall. They aren't that big even (again judging by the picture). They are providing a use for wildlife and shelter and are in no danger to the fence. If it falls, so be it and it is the farmers responsibility to fence again. I'd imagine they'd inform you/your father that a tree is down and needs removing.

By all means trim them back to allow machinery travel underneath. Don't dare touch them until September or you'll have some busybody reporting you.

Removing/cutting them down on some notion that they may fall and bring down a strand of wire at some unknown point in future is making work for yourself.

On my own place, my father has an irrational hatred of all things grown above the wire. He has spent hours and hours with a saw cutting down all sorts of things that have grown up through the years over the last 18 months. No amount of disagreeing with him as to the pointlessness of it gets through. He just says what good are they and then cut. Once cut he then takes out whatever bits are fit for burning, then has the gather the tops to burn in a big pile. It's pointless work for absolutely zero gain. Nothing. Nada. Not a thing. You seem to be exactly like him :pac:

893bet

lukin wrote: »

It's not a matter of aesthetics that I want them cut. Trees/branches that are drooping like that will eventually fall over. I'd prefer that not to happen, it could be like that for weeks and I wouldn't know about it.
They are trimmed at the bottom because that is where the fence wire is and I cut the branches there.
The mulcher seems to be the way to go. Although some of the branches are fairly thick, I hope that machine will be able to mulch them. I'd really need to get whoever is doing it to come and take a look first
I thought the level of growth was fairly bad in that pic I posted but there are worse ones on that particular hedge.
A few who replies didn't think it was that bad. I'd hate to see their hedges so.

You came looking for advice and don’t like the majority it off it and now are all all indignant. So spend 60 or 70 quid an hour “looking after things”. I will say for the third time engage with the tenant. He may want the shelter. He may be in a scheme reliant on hedges been left the way they are.

I was just out walking a field to try and see it part of it finally dry to cut. That hedge was done with track machine 6 or 7 years. It will be another 6 or 7 hopefully before it’s done again (unless we do the dykes in the meantime).



Hasn’t a tree fallen in my life time. The odd oak branch fell. And was cleared.

lukin

893bet wrote: »

You came looking for advice and don’t like the majority it off it and now are all all indignant.

Not at all. I was advised to rent a mulcher which I wouldn't have known had I not posted. I am happy with the advice I got. Some others said I should do nothing which they are quite entitled to.

tellmeabit

Would ye have knocked these..

J.O. Farmer

tellmeabit wrote: »

Would ye have knocked these..

Nice second photo, lovely shot of cows grazing in a nice setting with a couple of trees.

There'd probably be little or no benefit to knocking them unless you spend a few thousand making it a flat field and then you could end up making it a wet flat field.

roosterman71

tellmeabit wrote: »

Would ye have knocked these..

I wouldn't. I'd see no benefit in it at all

Dinzee Conlee

tellmeabit wrote: »

Would ye have knocked these..

A few years ago maybe, I don’t know if tis age or just I am turning into a bit of a tree hugger or what... But now, I wouldn’t...

paddysdream

Would have to disagree with what seems to be the majority consensus on here and say that I would be of the opinion that the portion of hedge in your photo really needs trimming back .
Suppose it depends on where you are coming from but having reclaimed a goodly portion of the land here over the years hate to see it getting overgrown .

Overhanging branches in that photo would entail keeping a tractor 15/20ft away from the hedge .

wrangler

paddysdream wrote: »

Would have to disagree with what seems to be the majority consensus on here and say that I would be of the opinion that the portion of hedge in your photo really needs trimming back .
Suppose it depends on where you are coming from but having reclaimed a goodly portion of the land here over the years hate to see it getting overgrown .

Overhanging branches in that photo would entail keeping a tractor 15/20ft away from the hedge .

Thank goodness, some sense at last. Of course we have to maintain our hedges
First we had vegans now we have environmentalists.
This forum is going to the dogs

roosterman71

Very few on here didn't say not to trim it back. I know I suggested it. What most on here have said is not to cut it down, especially for fear of it falling at some point in future. Maintain it, let it develop and enjoy it