Hi all
Part of my fence around the garden is a row of ancient hawthorn, very
tall now and lovely with berries, but at the base they're old and
gappy. Anyone can stroll through.
Does anyone know if I chop them back to about head height will they re-
grow from the ground and make a nice impenetrable tangle, or will they
grow from head height again?
If the latter, any suggestions about filling in the gaps?
Many thanks
Jon

"NogbadtheCool" wrote in message
...
Hi all
Part of my fence around the garden is a row of ancient hawthorn, very
tall now and lovely with berries, but at the base they're old and
gappy. Anyone can stroll through.
Does anyone know if I chop them back to about head height will they re-
grow from the ground and make a nice impenetrable tangle, or will they
grow from head height again?
If the latter, any suggestions about filling in the gaps?
Many thanks
Jon

There are chances are that it will grow from head height. However, ""IF""
there are any 'live' branches from the bottom then to prune these back
'might' encourage growth.

What we have done is to grow Escallonia and Lonicera Nitida in the gaps and
'up through' our Hawthorn hedges when they got a bit thin at the bottom.

Hope that helps


--
Mike

The Royal Naval Electrical Branch Association
www.rneba.org.uk
Luxury Self Catering on the Isle of Wight?
www.shanklinmanormews.co.uk

"NogbadtheCool" wrote in message
...
Hi all
Part of my fence around the garden is a row of ancient hawthorn, very
tall now and lovely with berries, but at the base they're old and
gappy. Anyone can stroll through.
Does anyone know if I chop them back to about head height will they re-
grow from the ground and make a nice impenetrable tangle, or will they
grow from head height again?
If the latter, any suggestions about filling in the gaps?
Many thanks
Jon

You have a golden opportunity to create a laid hedge. Don't prune it to
head height but cut half-way through the stem near ground level and heel the
whole trunk over. Look for examples on Google and Google Images. The
result will be a close-stemmed hedge that will keep people and larger
animals out while letting hedgehogs through and providing a great habitat
for birds etc. Mind you it's hard work and quite skilled.
R.

"Ragnar" wrote in message
...

"NogbadtheCool" wrote in message
...
Hi all
Part of my fence around the garden is a row of ancient hawthorn, very
tall now and lovely with berries, but at the base they're old and
gappy. Anyone can stroll through.
Does anyone know if I chop them back to about head height will they re-
grow from the ground and make a nice impenetrable tangle, or will they
grow from head height again?
If the latter, any suggestions about filling in the gaps?
Many thanks
Jon

You have a golden opportunity to create a laid hedge. Don't prune it to
head height but cut half-way through the stem near ground level and heel
the whole trunk over. Look for examples on Google and Google Images. The
result will be a close-stemmed hedge that will keep people and larger
animals out while letting hedgehogs through and providing a great habitat
for birds etc. Mind you it's hard work and quite skilled.
R.


WOW!! yes quite agree, but not a thing to tackle yourself if never done
before, BUT, if your run is long enough, i.e. 3/400 metres, why not offer it
as a competition hedge?

Get it done free then ;-)

(You will then see the difference between the winners ;-) and those at the
lower end of the 'skill' table ;-( )



--
Mike

The Royal Naval Electrical Branch Association
www.rneba.org.uk
Luxury Self Catering on the Isle of Wight?
www.shanklinmanormews.co.uk

"Janet Baraclough" wrote in message
...

No need to fill in You can lay the existing plants (look up laying a
hedge on the net) and create a secure barrier no human can walk through,
an excellent windbreak, wildlife habitat and a very attractive dense
hedge. For nothing.
Its not hard to do; and while there are specialist tools , you can
improvise perfectly well enough with loppers and a saw.

Your library will have books with pictures and instructions; or you
could probably find a local course run by conservation charities etc.


Janet

????????????????????????????????

http://www.myalbum.com/Album-UJIMHUD...%20-Other.html

Kindest possible regards!!!!!!!

I trust you are 'this' good?

--
Mike

The Royal Naval Electrical Branch Association
www.rneba.org.uk
Luxury Self Catering on the Isle of Wight?
www.shanklinmanormews.co.uk

In message , Janet Baraclough
writes
The message
from NogbadtheCool contains these words:

Hi all
Part of my fence around the garden is a row of ancient hawthorn, very
tall now and lovely with berries, but at the base they're old and
gappy. Anyone can stroll through.
Does anyone know if I chop them back to about head height will they re-
grow from the ground and make a nice impenetrable tangle, or will they
grow from head height again?
If the latter, any suggestions about filling in the gaps?

No need to fill in You can lay the existing plants (look up laying a
hedge on the net) and create a secure barrier no human can walk through,
an excellent windbreak, wildlife habitat and a very attractive dense
hedge. For nothing.
Its not hard to do; and while there are specialist tools , you can
improvise perfectly well enough with loppers and a saw.

Your library will have books with pictures and instructions; or you
could probably find a local course run by conservation charities etc.


Janet

I agree that laying is an excellent (but not easy) solution in many
cases, however, the OP mentions that the hawthorns are ancient which may
present some problems. While hawthorn is a good candidate for laying
and is usually good at recovering and producing re-growth this could be
a bit hit and miss if the trees are very old, particularly if they are
very thick at the base. I wonder if the trees produce new growth if
pruned back hard. Perhaps an initial experiment in the Spring with one
or two trees would provide an indication. If the OP wants to try it the
BTCV have some useful online guidance, starting at:
http://handbooks.btcv.org.uk/handboo...ent/chapter/72

If the trees are very thick at the base but are still capable of
producing new growth, coppicing may be the answer but a temporary fence
may be necessary.

The alternative would be gapping up with hawthorn whips or something
else suitable.
--
Robert

On 10 Oct, 20:53, robert wrote:
In message , Janet Baraclough
writes





The message
from NogbadtheCool contains these words:

Hi all
Part of my fence around the garden is a row of ancient hawthorn, very
tall now and lovely with berries, but at the base they're old and
gappy. Anyone can stroll through.
Does anyone know if I chop them back to about head height will they re-
grow from the ground and make a nice impenetrable tangle, or will they
grow from head height again?
If the latter, any suggestions about filling in the gaps?

*No need to fill in *You can lay the existing plants (look up laying a
hedge on the net) and create a secure barrier no human can walk through,
an excellent windbreak, *wildlife habitat and a very attractive dense
hedge. For nothing.
* Its not hard to do; and while there are specialist tools , you can
improvise perfectly well enough with loppers and a saw.

* Your library will have books with pictures and instructions; or you
could probably find a local course run by conservation charities etc.

* Janet

I agree that laying is an excellent (but not easy) solution in many
cases, however, the OP mentions that the hawthorns are ancient which may
present some problems. *While hawthorn is a good candidate for laying
and is usually good at recovering and producing re-growth this could be
a bit hit and miss if the trees are very old, particularly if they are
very thick at the base. *I wonder if the trees produce new growth if
pruned back hard. Perhaps an initial experiment in the Spring with one
or two trees would provide an indication. *If the OP wants to try it the
BTCV have some useful online guidance, starting at:http://handbooks.btcv.org.uk/handboo...ent/chapter/72

If the trees are very thick at the base but are still capable of
producing new growth, coppicing may be the answer but a temporary fence
may be necessary.

The alternative would be gapping up with hawthorn whips or something
else suitable.
--
Robert- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -


I seem to remember from a long time ago when I was still a sprog
seeing hawthorn notched with an axe (That is a wedge cut out low down)
which cut off the sap flow in a section of trunk and new growth
started out from the lowerLevel of the wound.
I give no garantee for this technique, but you could try a few this
winter and see what happens.
David Hill

On Oct 11, 8:23*pm, Dave Hill wrote:
On 10 Oct, 20:53, robert wrote:





In message , Janet Baraclough
writes

The message
from NogbadtheCool contains these words:

Hi all
Part of my fence around the garden is a row of ancient hawthorn, very
tall now and lovely with berries, but at the base they're old and
gappy. Anyone can stroll through.
Does anyone know if I chop them back to about head height will they re-
grow from the ground and make a nice impenetrable tangle, or will they
grow from head height again?
If the latter, any suggestions about filling in the gaps?

*No need to fill in *You can lay the existing plants (look up laying a
hedge on the net) and create a secure barrier no human can walk through,
an excellent windbreak, *wildlife habitat and a very attractive dense
hedge. For nothing.
* Its not hard to do; and while there are specialist tools , you can
improvise perfectly well enough with loppers and a saw.

* Your library will have books with pictures and instructions; or you
could probably find a local course run by conservation charities etc.

* Janet

I agree that laying is an excellent (but not easy) solution in many
cases, however, the OP mentions that the hawthorns are ancient which may
present some problems. *While hawthorn is a good candidate for laying
and is usually good at recovering and producing re-growth this could be
a bit hit and miss if the trees are very old, particularly if they are
very thick at the base. *I wonder if the trees produce new growth if
pruned back hard. Perhaps an initial experiment in the Spring with one
or two trees would provide an indication. *If the OP wants to try it the
BTCV have some useful online guidance, starting at:http://handbooks.btcv.org.uk/handboo...ent/chapter/72

If the trees are very thick at the base but are still capable of
producing new growth, coppicing may be the answer but a temporary fence
may be necessary.

The alternative would be gapping up with hawthorn whips or something
else suitable.
--
Robert- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

I seem to remember from a long time ago when I was still a sprog
seeing hawthorn notched with an axe (That is a wedge cut out low down)
which cut off the sap flow in a section of trunk and new growth
started out from the lowerLevel of the wound.
I give no garantee for this technique, but you could try a few this
winter and see what happens.
David Hill



Thanks all for suggestions, I think hedge laying is a bit beyond my
capabilities, I should have added it's only about 10 feet of hedge
because I chopped a hole through to accesas the garage and the council
chopped the other side down for a metal fence. Also the bottom
sections are very dead looking, all old wood and thick trunks.

NogbadtheCool wrote:
On Oct 11, 8:23 pm, Dave Hill wrote:
On 10 Oct, 20:53, robert wrote:





In message , Janet Baraclough
writes
The message
from NogbadtheCool contains these words:
Hi all
Part of my fence around the garden is a row of ancient hawthorn, very
tall now and lovely with berries, but at the base they're old and
gappy. Anyone can stroll through.
Does anyone know if I chop them back to about head height will they re-
grow from the ground and make a nice impenetrable tangle, or will they
grow from head height again?
[...]
I seem to remember from a long time ago when I was still a sprog
seeing hawthorn notched with an axe (That is a wedge cut out low down)
which cut off the sap flow in a section of trunk and new growth
started out from the lowerLevel of the wound.
I give no garantee for this technique, but you could try a few this
winter and see what happens.
David Hill



Thanks all for suggestions, I think hedge laying is a bit beyond my
capabilities, I should have added it's only about 10 feet of hedge
because I chopped a hole through to accesas the garage and the council
chopped the other side down for a metal fence. Also the bottom
sections are very dead looking, all old wood and thick trunks.

I assume that the trunks are three or four inches in diameter. If so,
far too large and mature for what David Hill suggests; the name of the
technique escapes me, but if done correctly, on 'trunks' about one inch
diameter, it can produce a really fine impenetrable hedge.

If the trunks are three or four inches in diameter, the best that can be
done is cut them (with e.g. a bowsaw) about a foot from the ground. New
growth will appear --- which can then be trimmed and trained /
maintained as a hedge.

Best regards,

Jon C.

--
Jonathan Campbell www.jgcampbell.com BT48, UK.