Time To Get Hedge Planting Started

This planting season – from mid November through to March there will be over 600km of hedgerows planted on farms throughout Northern Ireland under the Countryside Management Scheme (CMS) and Environmentally Sensitive Areas (ESA) scheme. This is more than has been planted in the last 150 years!

If possible, give your hedge a head start by planting in the autumn, when the soil is still relatively warm, to allow roots to keep growing for a few weeks after planting. The main planting season for bare rooted plants is mid-November until March, avoiding periods of frost and snow.

The first step for anyone planting a hedge is to decide how much hedging you want to plant and therefore how many plants you will need. It is a scheme requirement for the hedge to be composed of 75 percent hawthorn, with one metre of hedge requiring eight hawthorn quicks, and the remaining 25 percent of hedge a mix of other native species such as hazel, holly, dog rose or blackthorn. These are then randomly planted along the hedge length. You should also plant native hedgerow trees such as rowan, oak or cherry every 10 to 15 metres along the hedge.

This mix of tree and hedge species will establish into a well structured hedge, which will provide food for wildlife, shelter for livestock and wildlife alike, help to stop the spread of disease and look attractive in the landscape. As soon as you know how many quicks and trees you will need, contact your local nursery and place your order to ensure that you don’t miss out on the quality stock.

Good site preparation is crucial. On grassy sites, spray off a one metre wide strip with glyphosate about four weeks before planting. Cultivate a trench about 300 mm deep and 600mm wide, adding well rotted manure if you wish.

Good planning will ensure that you are well on the way to establishing a successful hedge. Try to plant before the end of March and remember to check your CMS or ESA agreement to find out how much hedging you are required to complete each year.

Stewart Connolly, a dairy farmer from Portglenone, County Antrim has planted hedges under his CMS agreement. Stewart decided to plant hedges mainly to improve shelter for the cows, but also for the benefit of birds and to enhance the farm in general. This hedge was planted in spring 2006 and is growing well, showing that good preparation for hedge planting gives the hedge an excellent start in life.

If you need any help or further advice on hedge planting, contact you local Countryside Management Adviser.