Hedgerow Maintenance
Hedgerows are not only an important aspect of our culture and heritage but also form a very important role in any farm.
Acting as a corridor for pollinating and natural pest reducing fauna, they also act as natural and free boundary to the wonderful British field.
They protect crops from wind damage and also act as a way to reduce soil erosion and water run-off.
Modern machinery and technology has offered ways of vastly increasing work load and thus pushed the limits of field size, resulting in hundreds of miles of hedges being ripped out.
However, for those in charge of maintaining both established and newly planted hedges there are a number of important steps to keep to.
Seen as a quintessential feature of rural Britain, hedgerows should not be trimmed more than once every other year, preferably once every three years if possible.
Many shrubs and plants found within the common hedgerow flower, and therefore produce berries, on wood grown the year before.
Annual trimming disallows flowering and fruiting and should therefore only be used for hedges which border roads, farm routes and public footpaths.
In addition, a trimming rotation should be secured so that not all hedges are cut on the same year.
Newly planted hedgerows should be left as long as possible, up to ten years, only trimming to keep in shape.
Holes and niches can be filled with suitable plants.
For the wildlife conscious it is also a good idea to leave a small grass buffer either side between the hedge and the farmland.
This can greatly increase both the variety and use of the hedgerow by both animal and plant species.
Under the 1997 Hedgerow Regulations Law, certain hedgerows are now protected from removal and require permission from the local authority.
In addition to maintaining hedgerows correctly those receiving the Single Payment are required to keep them in Good Agricultural and Environmental Condition (GAEC).
A two metre perimeter around the field should also be left to grow wild.
Under these conditions, and good practice for those not covered but who have hedges, trimming between March 1st and July 31st must be avoided.
This is a crucial time for birds and forms their main nesting season.
It is advised to trim at the end of winter when the natural fruit crop has been harvested, leaving the grass perimeter alone as much as possible to avoid disturbing winter nesting birds and other fauna.
If hedges must be trimmed earlier due to dangerous obstructions, they should be trimmed on one side early to leave a crop of berries.
In addition to these hedge trimming practices, farmers should also be careful to avoid accidental spray of fertilisers and pesticides towards all area's and livestock should be fenced away, leaving several metres distance between their fence and the hedgerow
Acting as a corridor for pollinating and natural pest reducing fauna, they also act as natural and free boundary to the wonderful British field.
They protect crops from wind damage and also act as a way to reduce soil erosion and water run-off.
Modern machinery and technology has offered ways of vastly increasing work load and thus pushed the limits of field size, resulting in hundreds of miles of hedges being ripped out.
However, for those in charge of maintaining both established and newly planted hedges there are a number of important steps to keep to.
Seen as a quintessential feature of rural Britain, hedgerows should not be trimmed more than once every other year, preferably once every three years if possible.
Many shrubs and plants found within the common hedgerow flower, and therefore produce berries, on wood grown the year before.
Annual trimming disallows flowering and fruiting and should therefore only be used for hedges which border roads, farm routes and public footpaths.
In addition, a trimming rotation should be secured so that not all hedges are cut on the same year.
Newly planted hedgerows should be left as long as possible, up to ten years, only trimming to keep in shape.
Holes and niches can be filled with suitable plants.
For the wildlife conscious it is also a good idea to leave a small grass buffer either side between the hedge and the farmland.
This can greatly increase both the variety and use of the hedgerow by both animal and plant species.
Under the 1997 Hedgerow Regulations Law, certain hedgerows are now protected from removal and require permission from the local authority.
In addition to maintaining hedgerows correctly those receiving the Single Payment are required to keep them in Good Agricultural and Environmental Condition (GAEC).
A two metre perimeter around the field should also be left to grow wild.
Under these conditions, and good practice for those not covered but who have hedges, trimming between March 1st and July 31st must be avoided.
This is a crucial time for birds and forms their main nesting season.
It is advised to trim at the end of winter when the natural fruit crop has been harvested, leaving the grass perimeter alone as much as possible to avoid disturbing winter nesting birds and other fauna.
If hedges must be trimmed earlier due to dangerous obstructions, they should be trimmed on one side early to leave a crop of berries.
In addition to these hedge trimming practices, farmers should also be careful to avoid accidental spray of fertilisers and pesticides towards all area's and livestock should be fenced away, leaving several metres distance between their fence and the hedgerow
