"BluntChisel" wrote in message
.com...
Hello -

I've inherited responsibility for maintaining a couple of hundred metres
of
unkempt hedgerow in Devon. The hedge contains many different species, with
some of them being ferociously spiky. I've got a sturdy petrol
hedgetrimmer
with a longish reach, and I don't mind the exercise at all.

What's the best time for trimming it? It seems a pity to trim it now,
because it's full of berries, insects and birds.
The local farmers seem to trim their hedges in the early autumn, but would
that deprive the birds of berries for the winter?

Any tips gratefully received.


Your post suggests that you may have a historic hedge, as it contains 'many
differnt species'. If this is the case then it would be wrong to mistreat
it.
To find out how old the hedge is, select a 30 yard length and count the
species of hedging plants (ignore herbaceous plants and climbers such as dog
rose and honeysuckle). The number of species indicates the age of the hedge
in centuries. If the answer seems unlikely try a different 30 yard length.
If you do indeed have a historic hedge then your local council may know
someone who can give advice on how best to conserve it.
R.