The brand-new hedgelaying season is arriving. It’s a winter thing: and the rough guide, timing-wise, is that hedge laying happens in the six months between the autumn and spring equinoxes.
Year-to-year seasonal variations, together with site-specific considerations, leave some room for flexibility. Septimus Works usually take bookings for projects starting on 1 October and ending 31 March.
Official guidance from The Department of Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra), in its Cutting and Trimming Rules, states: “You must not cut or trim a hedgerow that is covered by the rules from 1 March to 31 August.” But Defra guidance goes on to say that hedgelaying and coppicing can be done: “during the period 1 March to 30 April.”
It adds that you can: “trim a newly laid hedgerow by hand within 6 months of it being laid.”
Repairing and creating wildlife-rich hedgerows is a winter activity for several very good reasons.
- To avoid birds’ nesting. The last thing we want to do is disturb birds and other small animals as they bring up their young – especially when one of the central aims of hedgelaying is to foster wildlife.
- Winter is when hedge plants are largely dormant and better placed to withstand the inevitable – and ultimately beneficial – cutting, pruning, and shaping process.
- Winter work leaves hedge plants well placed for recovery as the strong spring and summer growing seasons arrives.
- With leaves off the trees, it is easier for hedgelayers to see the stems and branches that may, or may not, need to be cut.
Habitat Hedging
The top picture attached to this piece show the central skill in hedgelaying. It is called “pleaching”. It involves the careful slicing of stems so that they stay a) stay alive, b) lean over or lay where wanted, and c) regrow with vigour. The before and after pictures below (taken in January and July 2022) give evidence of the effectiveness.
There are a dozen or more recognised regional and local hedging styles. The ‘Midlands’ style is sometimes referred to as the standard style but others include Yorkshire, Welsh, Derbyshire, Cheshire, Devon, Dorset and South of England. Septimus Works lays in the South of England style – with a twist which elevates the importance of sustainability.
The twist comes with a focus on ‘habitat’. It prioritises healthy wildlife, renewal and reuse, and community enjoyment. It is applicable and appropriate across the four nations of the United Kingdom. Habitat hedging has low-to-no requirement for bought-in materials. For the most part, hand tools are used while spare organic matter is recycled to reduce waste-removal costs.
tools
Hedgelaying work can be completed with hand tools. It was, for hundreds of years. Hand tools remain the best tools in most practical circumstances. For cutting thicker and harder stems, however, it is quicker, and often safer, to use mechanical saws – a battery-powered saw with, say, a 12-inch bar and small-tooth chain. Electric saws are quieter and safer than petrol saws, and emit no fumes.
It is important to emphasise awareness of the absolute necessity of conducting comprehensive site-specific risk assessments.
Budgets
The South of England Hedgelaying Society publishes market-led pricing guidelines. There are a few variables but for illustrative purposes you might benchmark hedgelaying costs in the range of £20-£25 per metre.
Training
Septimus Works – the trading name for self-employment of Robert Cole – often works with volunteers and rangers. The aim is to explain the benefits, demonstrate the skill, and give some hands-on experience. Participants can expect to acquire basic hedging skills in: preparation, pleaching, staking and binding. Where appropriate and sensible, they will become familiar with safe use of tools; blade sharpening; cropping, trimming and pointing stakes; coppicing; splitting; and dead hedging.
Testimonials
In 2021, Robert Cole laid a 150-yard mostly blackthorn hedge at the Mudchute urban farm in London’s Docklands district. It is replacing a disintegrating paling fence in a stockproof habitat style. “Sustainability is one of the core principles here at Mudchute Farm,” said Tom Davis, the Farm, Park and Open Space Manager. “When planning this project, it was important for us to buy in as little as possible. All the stakes and binders were grown here on the farm in our hazel coppice which combined with the ‘habitat hedging’ style and suited us especially as the laid hedge is also stock proof . . . “The low emission and high recycling techniques, together with the creation of good, tidy, hedgerow habitat, has impressed trustees, employees, volunteers and visitors.” Tom added.