So, we've had a very stressful week and I've not been on the smallholding much, but I put this video together the beginning of the week before and I I thought I'd still share it with you all.
Down by the duck pen there is a huge gap in one of the hedges. It bothers me every time I walk past it. After spending a few days hedging laying the week before I thought I'd tackle it. In doing so it should give me (some of) the materials for my larger stretch of hedge to be laid later.
Now one thing about hedge laying, it doesn't really matter how you try to do it - it'll always be hard graft! But they are a under utilised resource on a small holding, and if carefully managed they can produce lots of resources like poles and firewood, as well as forage if you were to make tree hay and things in the summer.This is the first part of this hedge repair. I hope to get the next video together by next Friday where I "lay" a dead hedge and plant up some gaps in one I've done already. Then It'll be on to my 50m hedge I planted 9 years ago if I can get the materials together to do it soon enough!
Let me know what you think! Do you repair hedges like this?
If you left a comment on Youtube it would really help others find the video and my channel!
Thanks!
All very interesting and your keeping rural land husbandry skills alive. I suppose you could plant willow whips in any gaps. It's much more easy on the eye than looking at sheepwire and barbed wire.
ReplyDeleteWillow was an option, but it does outcompete other stuff in the hedge. I will probably use it under the other willow tree where it's heavily shaded and damp. I did find a fair few other saplings to fill the gaps as well!
DeleteBlackthorn whips are incredibly inexpensive if you buy them bare rooted and can be planted up to April.
ReplyDeleteI have plenty of self set ones here I can dig up - they spread like mad!
DeleteReally interesting, Kev. I've been watching the Tudor Monastery Farm series on the Absolute History channel and they had an episode with building waddle fences. I'm glad to see you putting this to use. It's got me wondering how I could incorporate it here, too.
ReplyDeleteI love that series and the "green valley", great fun to watch. I'd love to grow enough willow to make some hurdles. One day I'd love to own and manage a small woodland! If we get pigs this year it would be great to make some fencing to fold them to different areas.
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