Boundary Whitethorn hedge

brownswiss

My neighbour has just given a " Short Back & Sides " to the boundary fence between us . He knew I did not want it cut low as it is of great benefit to my animals for shelter . I am in ACRES so it probably is of some benefit there also . When I asked him not to cut it low he just laughed at me and said he would cut it anyway he wished . He has no interest in the environmental benefits of a good hedge . Should there be height / cutting guidelines issued to hedge cutting contractors to help them avoid getting into the middle of boundary disputes such as this.

limo_100

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058368793/boundary-whitethorn-hedge

It will grow back fairly quickly so it should. Only think you can do it tell the contractor cutting it that it is a boundary hedge and you don't want it cut and there's a good chance he won't do it then

BorneTobyWilde

If they cut it on their side that's their right, but they can't enter your side and cut it.

limo_100

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122610710#Comment_122610710

I dont think he cares about the side that's on the neighbor's side his issue is that the neighbor lower the height of the hedge

Waffletraktor

string up some loose wire through it just leave it some what visible for the contractor. He’ll get the message one way or another.

Chain link if possible

PoorFarmer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122610851#Comment_122610851

NO

Did you ever take chain link out of a hedgecutter??? 😔

Waffletraktor

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122610911#Comment_122610911

The best is a head full of high tensile and it gets in to wedge the rotor against the bearing and your 4 ft tine can’t get the head turning 80 or 100 times to grind the wire down and you need to go back and drop off the head.
chain link is mild steel and twenty mins with a cutters.

DBK1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122610851#Comment_122610851

Why not take the simple approach and just talk to the contractor and ask him not to cut that ditch down low? I know in the modern world of social media people seem to have forgotten how to actually talk to one another but believe it or not it’s still an option in life and works very well.

It takes a special kind of p***k to plan on doing damage to a contractors machine when all he’s doing is a job he has been asked and paid to do and probably has no idea that the neighbour doesn’t want the hedge cut down.

Anto_Meath

Who owns the hedge? I know around here whoever owns the hedge is the one who has a say in how it's cut & the owner gets the timber out of it.

Now most people are sound and agree with their neighbours on how boundary hedges are cut.

French Toast

It’s done now for this year so there’s little you can do.

Talk to him next August and explain your side of it, unless he’s a complete prick he’ll understand the importance of shelter for stock. If that fails then try and speak to the contractor before he gets at it. As a final resort you could give the Gardai a bell.

And Jaysus whatever you do don’t go putting things in the hedge.

Waffletraktor

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122611075#Comment_122611075

That’s the 2nd time you’ve called me a Pr ick. If you weren’t so thick you’d have noticed the op already asked the nice way and I said to leave something visible for the contractor.

Water John

Simply tell the contractor what height you've agreed to allow, having said it previously to the neighbour. Contractor can do that, or pull out.

patsy_mccabe

A low hedge, if anything is better shelter for animals.

Who2

I thought there was something in acres about hedges being at least 6’ high now.

Aravo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122611539#Comment_122611539

I remember years ago in Reps that there was a hedgerow maintence plan. I thought it was good. But alas all useful things have been removed and replaced with BS.

Aravo

What height was the original hedgerow. And what height was removed. I had a number of ash dieback trees removed early last year in a hedge and a hydraulic shears on an excavator was used to lower the hedge. New shoots are about 3 to 4ft now, and on the lower parts it looks thicker than it was.

wildwillow

If the hedge is on his grounds he can cut it as low as he wants. If it is on the actual boundary, and you can prove this, then he should be open to your needs. Otherwise plant a new hedge on your undisputed land and keep it as high as you want.

Do not put anything in the hedge to damage the hedge cutter.

DBK1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122611209#Comment_122611209

He didn’t ask the contractor, he asked the neighbour.

In them circumstances, if asked, 99% of the time the contractor will either top the hedge higher up or not cut it at all. When the man that’s paying him to do the job asks why he didn’t cut it down low the contractor will probably just tell him that’s what the man the other side wanted me to do, sort it out among yourselves first if you want me to cut it any lower and he’ll stay out of it as it’s not his argument to be involved in.

I don’t remember ever calling you that before or what the reason was but don’t take it personally, I’d use that description of anyone that would intentionally try to damage a contractors machine, not just you!

farawaygrass

Cutting it will only improve it going forward. If it’s anywhere around 4 to 5 ft it’s plenty tall. If it’s let grow too tall it’ll only get gappy lower down and won’t be great for shelter then either.
As said previously, if it’s sown on his side he has the say on the height. Don’t know how ye would agree on it if it’s sown on the boundary

brownswiss

I actually felt very sorry for the contractor . The guy must have put a lot of pressure on him to cut without contacting me first , as he did other years

brownswiss

I understand that , but unfortunately is was let go wild for many years and when eventually cut low did not grow back very well. I have no problem with it being cut but this was destruction

brownswiss

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122611378#Comment_122611378

For miniature animals ? How low is low? and what about from an environmental perspective ? If he is in ACRES will he loose points for what he has done. I know that I will. My planner marks me on the worst section of fence in each field

brownswiss

Do you honestly think I would put anything. Many years ago said contractor had 2 very serious incidents while hedge cutting.

We did speak at length to the farmer when about half of the boundary was cut ( and he knew my wishes from previous years. It is very unfortunate from a neighbourly perspective that he would behave so ignorant . Life is too short and we are both too old for such nonsense . I have become environmentally aware since the next generation starting farming here and I really appreciate the opportunity to reinstate the internal hedges that I removed . The destruction of hedgerows rather than manicuring them really bothers me and of course it will deprive my animals of shelter for quite a few years

Birdnuts

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122612477#Comment_122612477

I agree - especcially in the Irish climate of wind and rain. A decent hedge needs to be A-Shaped and at least 7ft tall to fulfill any of its usefull functions. Usefull too to have mature trees in it at regular intervals to provide cover for stock on those occasional hot days

Aravo

Hedge was cut within hedge cutting season. I'm afraid it's a case of he who pays the piper calls the tune.

blue5000

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122611075#Comment_122611075

Waffletraktor7:05 am

string up some loose wire through it just leave it some what visible for the contractor. He’ll get the message one way or another.

Chain link if possible

MOD NOTE Can you two calm down a bit. Thanks.

Jb1989

What side is the drain on. We need to know who owns the hedge first!

brownswiss

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122613453#Comment_122613453

No drain. Hedge is jointly owned . Someone above commented " he who pays the piper " . I think that may have been the case years ago when only a few had proper appreciation of the benefits of hedges . I think nowadays you do not interfere with the top of the hedge without agreement . The neighbour was just being an ass…e . His cattle had been climbing into the hedge for ages and eating the young bushes we planted . His wire was on the ground and we asked politely if he would put it back up. I think he is now just trying to annoy me…. It is over for this year

148multi

Take a look at ordnance survey Ireland maps, you will see ff face of fence

Cf centre of fence

Cd centre of drain/ditch

There's a few other I can't think of right now.

There might not be a drain there now, but if there's one on the map, boundary is normally centre of drain, but not always

148multi

Pm sent

Aravo

The landowner who cut the hedge likely cuts other hedges also on their farm, possibly even the roadside hedges. I find there are some who never cut hedges, and more problems occur here. Maybe he will reerect fence now that was down. I would cut hedges here and erect fence where needed. Hard to do anything where a hedge is growing out.

bmc58

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122611077#Comment_122611077

Well as far as I know you are allowed to trim any part of trees and hedges of your neighbour that encroach onto your property if you wish.

Water John

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122615964#Comment_122615964

Firstly in that situation, you ask the owner to trim them back, or if they say no, you can cut your side but you must offer to return the cuttings to them. This is different from the OP.

bmc58

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122616146#Comment_122616146

If I don't want them on my property I'm sure I'm allowed to cut branches that are growing on my propertyThey are more than welcome to their cuttings back.

Water John

You ask the owner to trim them back first. Most will say cut away yourself. But you must offer them the cuttings also. sounds a bit weird but that's the protocol.

Havenowt

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122618533#Comment_122618533

Its not the cutting back of side braches that are causing the problem. It is reducing the height of the hedge.

Water John

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122620605#Comment_122620605

Since, in this case, they both own the fence, any alteration has to be by agreement. Sadly, one party doesn't accept that.

893bet

what height is it being cut to?

Aravo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122620749#Comment_122620749

A few pics would help

Castlekeeper

There's always some people trying to push the boundaries, in every sense.

It's not easy being reasonable and peaceful without being taken advantage of.

As to the suggestions of putting up wire in the ditch, I agree, I think its the only way. The purpose is not to damage the hedge cutter but to make it stock proof, mark the boundary, and act as a visible and physical reminder not to cut said hedge.

The contractor should be told about it, he knows the story and it gets him off the hook anyway

The neighbour is acting the dick, and talking has proved to be a waste of time.

Be polite but don't concede an inch.

Water John

I'd plant a hedge on my own side and he can do what he likes with the boundary hedge. The ignore button.

brownswiss

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122624461#Comment_122624461

we have filled in all the gaps in the hedge with new plants. We have planted on our side. He has let his fence fall into disrepair and let his cattle eat and trample the new bushes . We have sheep wire topped with high tensile electric on our side