Hawthorn Hedge

Hi, i have a 25m long by 8ft hight hawthorn hedge which looks very old, my problem is that parts are very bare and from the ground to about 600mm high there is not much hedge at all just trunks. Also im next to a road and you can see right through the hedge most of the year, my question is what can i do to fix this, i dont want to take it down so is there some sort of evergreeen hedge i could plant in between? Any suggestions would be helpfull.

thanks mark

 

You could lay it. I'm sure someone with more expertise than me will explain the process, but basically you trim the branches off one side of each tree, then almost cut it down, cutting about two thirds of the way through, then gently bend it down taking care not to snap the remaining one third thickness of the trunk. The tree will heal up, and start reaching for the sky again, giving much thicker growth (because there are more side branches which are now pointing up over). Then just keep giving it a hair cut every year or so to keep it tidy and encourage the growth of new side shoots.

 

Laying the hedge is a good idea and it's the perfect time of year to do it I've included some links below to explain it a bit more although it's definitely more of a skill if you want it layed well :P but you could probably find some local courses if your lucky:gnthb:

[media]http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Andv7a0NPEc[/media]

http://www.hedgelaying.org.uk/
http://www.hazelwattle.com/hedgelaying.html
http://rhs.org.uk/advice/profiles0203/hedge_laying.asp

 

Hi, thanks for that, just been out looking at the hedge, it really about the bottom meter thats bare, looks terrible. Have only recently moved into this property which is on a hill, have some dodgey neibours so was really wanting to keep the height of the hedge which now has lots of shoots going up to about 12ft, now reaching the perfect height for stopping them seeing into my garden apart from the bare bits, is there anything else i could do as i dont want to lose the height.

thanks mark

 

The more you trim a hedge the thicker it will get, give it a good cut now, taking off at least a half of the length of the new shoots, lots more new shoots will grow up this Spring/summer, thickening up the hedge.

Keep it trimmed at least once a year.

If there are gaps that need filling, try holly which is evergreen, or beech, which if trimmed keeps the brown leaves over the winter.

you could plant low shrubs in front of the hedge to hide the bottom

 

"is there anything else i could do as i dont want to lose the height."

A layed hedge will probably be about 3' to 4' when done, and will probably grow about 2' per year (although the new top growth will be a bit spindly for a year or two).

A hedge near us was layed a few years ago, within two years they had a fantastic hedge to about 5' or 6'

Once the growth has gone at the bottom there isn't a way to get it back (as far as I know), other than laying - which obviously creates a new "bottom zone" which then grows up to make the new hedge.

It may not stop them looking over it,f or a year or two, but it will stop them coming through it! as laying was traditionally used to make an animal-proof hedge.

 

Its a very old hedge, i took some of it out when doing a drive, most of trunks just snapped of, there all green, mouldy and look quite dead, from what ive been reading its probably too old to lay. Think its about 40 year old.

 

Probably not a useful suggestion, but if money-is-no-object you cold replant with a mature "instant" hedge. £200 / M the last time I checked ... :(

 

Hi, no i not wanting to spend much, i read that you can plant beech hedge in between the hawtorn, has any one seen this? is it a good idea?

 

I don't think interplanting is going to thicken up the hedge :(

However, if you could replant in-front, or behind, the hedge, that would probably work - provided the new hedge got decent light.

Or a border in front of the hedge to add depth, and "thickness" maybe??

 

Many hedges that I've helped lay have been 40years+ and they may have been bit thick but chainsaw soon sorts that out, to be honest there isn't really a quick fix

 

There are hybrid willows and poplars that you can buy as sticks and just shove into the ground, that allegedly grow at rates upto 6ft per year. I know that willow will take very easily if you just shove it into the ground because I did exactly that on my piece of land, but I can't vouch for the phenomenal growth rate though, but then my willow is not the same variant as the ones I've read about.

Personal, I would go for the hedge laying option. Where trees have actually died or are too old and brittle to lay effectively, I'd pull them out and replace with new trees of a different species to add some variety. I planted crab apple and hazel in my hedgerow where the hawthorn couldn't be saved. Hazel apparently grows quickly, but much faster is elder. Or, if you don't get on with the neighbours, shove some blackthorn in there, which will send out runners and fill there garden (and yours if you're not careful) with lots of baby blackthorns after a few years.

 

Hi, my first idea was to cut it down put a fence up, then plant some willo behind it but decided agains this as it grows a bit wild and the kids could fall into it. Ive already taken out 25m from front of house as it was a mess and i also had to put a drive in. Im not into the laying as i want to keep the height and securtiy as is next to a road. Im now thinking of getting some bare root beech hedging and planting this in between the hawthorn.

 

I have a problem, on the West side of my property, my neighbour has a thorn hedge which he won't cut. It is 7metres plus in height and the bottom is bare up to about 5ft. Do not allow any thorn hedge to grow about 6 ft as the bottom will then die out. There is no quick fix, the best way would be to cut the hedge down to stumps around 18" high and put up a wire fence (temporary), allow it to grow up to about 4ft then keep it well cut and to grow to about 6ft. Remove the wire when it has bushed out.

 

" Im now thinking of getting some bare root beech hedging and planting this in between the hawthorn"

I bought some 4' bare root plants from Ashridge Trees last Autumn. About £4 - £5 each I think.