The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Smallholding => Techniques and skills => Topic started by: countrygirlatheart on January 17, 2009, 08:32:55 pm

Title: Is willow any good for filling gaps in hedging ?
Post by: countrygirlatheart on January 17, 2009, 08:32:55 pm

My field has a well established traditional mixed hedge at about 7ft high which is mostly hawthorn with some areas of sycamore and hazel (I think!).  There are however a couple of areas where gaps have developed and I'm wondering whether or not sticking in some willow now in the dormant season would be suitable as a gap filler?

Must say that the field is used for sheep so whatever I use will need to be ok if sheep can reach it to nibble at !

And...... it's like grey squirrel city in a nearby wood !

any advice re what can be used that will grow quickly and is safe ?

Title: Re: Is willow any good for filling gaps in hedging ?
Post by: doganjo on January 17, 2009, 10:26:32 pm

I was wondering the same thing - to try to baffle the noise of the trains.  I think that's why I'm hearing them - there's a gap in the Leyland hedge (40 foot high)

Title: Re: Is willow any good for filling gaps in hedging ?
Post by: ballingall on January 17, 2009, 11:54:01 pm

No idea if willow would be any good or not- but I'd love to come prune your hedge so I could feed it to the goats, it sounds great! We don't have a lot trees nearby.

Beth

Title: Re: Is willow any good for filling gaps in hedging ?
Post by: rustyme on January 18, 2009, 12:08:47 am

willow would grow in the gaps , some hedgers frown on it being used though . Sheep and goats will eat it though , some places I have heard of it being grown specifically as goat fodder. Ash will also grow in the gaps , as will any of the hedging types, but willow will fill the gaps a bit faster maybe .You could try just taking some cuttings from your other hedge plants and poke them in , if they don't take it won't have cost anything ?  If the gaps aren't too big , you could pull some of the nearest branches across and weave them in the branches of the bush the other side of the gap, or go mad and lay the whole hedge......It all depends on what you want to do really.

cheers

Russ

Title: Re: Is willow any good for filling gaps in hedging ?
Post by: doganjo on January 18, 2009, 10:27:31 am

Ok, then - I'll trade coming with willow to help me fill in the gaps for leylandii cuttings - as much as you want for goats or anything else that will eat them!

Title: Re: Is willow any good for filling gaps in hedging ?
Post by: countrygirlatheart on January 18, 2009, 01:58:27 pm

thanks for the replies folks      will maybe hunt around some rough ground nearby and look for some naturally sown ash saplings to transplant

Title: Re: Is willow any good for filling gaps in hedging ?
Post by: northfifeduckling on March 11, 2009, 10:09:36 am

Hawthorn and brambles are good fillers. Can't tell you if sheep mind the thorns...:&>

Title: Re: Is willow any good for filling gaps in hedging ?
Post by: Fluffywelshsheep on March 11, 2009, 10:32:05 am

if the hegde is to stop animals you'll need to uses a thorned bush otherwise they will push the gaps even biger but if you havea fence inbetween so the animals can't get throught the hole willow sound okay as long as the growing conditions are there
Linz

Title: Re: Is willow any good for filling gaps in hedging ?
Post by: countrygirlatheart on March 12, 2009, 11:34:00 pm

thanks for recent replies.    there's a stock fence immediately in front of the hedge so the sheep would only be able to reach so far, so could do willow.   I did read something recently (can't remember where now!) that you can't plant new hawthorn in the gaps as there is something in the existing hawthorn which will prevent the new planting from surviving - anyone able to comment further on that ? 

Title: Re: Is willow any good for filling gaps in hedging ?
Post by: woollyval on March 26, 2009, 02:14:54 pm

Willow is fine......and you can feed the trimmings to the sheep later :)