Culp wrote:
Hello everybody!

I am the owner of an absolute monster of a beech hedge. It runs
North/South between our garden and the road. Its about 15 feet high,
6-8 feet wide and runs for about 200 yards. The hedge is about 40
years old, the main trunks are 8-12 inches in diameter. Many of the
individual plants are (in my completely inexpert opinion) way too
close together at about 6 inch spacings some of them now grow out the
ground right next to each other.


I don't know the growing habits of beech. You need to find out as this
crowding may or may not be a problem. Also the way that the species behaves
in your area is important, advice from those with other soils or climates
may not be useful.

Every year trimming the hedge gets a little higher, a little more
difficult, a little more dangerous, and this year I have reached
breaking point!

Do i

Take the whole thing out and start again?


You have a resource that has taken a long time to develop. If it was me I
would be looking for the best ways to make use of it and I would consider
taking it out as a last resort.

I've seen some advice in this excellent forum about renovating the
hedge, is it do-able on such an old, huge hedge?

Thin it out and produce a line of effectively pollarded trees?

Cut it down to ground level and effectively coppice the trees, let
them sprout up from ground level and regrow the hedge?

Any help gratefully received from a frazzled and rather overwhelmed
gardener

So far the only problem you have described is trimming this hedge is too
hard. What would happen if you didn't trim it?

Are beech hedges common in your district? What do other people do to manage
them, could you ask them? Is there a local garden club or something similar
that could give you clues about how the species behaves in your area and the
best way to manage it?

David