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Schedule 5.2 Hedgerow planting |
introduction
map
application
objectives
the agreement
management of land
lowland pasture with hay making
grassland supplement
old orchards
6m arable margin
buffer strips
all mapped boundaries
boundaries to be restored
annual payments 1
annual payments 2
capital work specifications
hedge restoration
hedgerow planting
livestock control
ditch and rhyne restoration
tree planting
standards of good farming practice
grassland management
PH - Hedge planting
HR - Hedge restoration
Hedge Planting
Before planting a new hedge the ground must be prepared along a 1.5m wide strip to control existing vegetation and weeds. This can be by chemical treatment or by cultivation. Damage to surrounding vegetation must be kept to a minimum and must not extend beyond the strip.
When planting in existing hedges, gaps must first be thoroughly cleared of vegetation and the hedge on either side cut back to healthy growth.
Plant bare rooted nursery stock between November and March, when the ground is not frozen. These should be 2-year old transplants, 450-600 mm high. Alternatively good quality cell grown stock may be used. Planting must be in a staggered double row 30 centimetres part, with a minimum of 4 plants per metre.
Until the hedge has become established the plants are to be kept clear of competitive weeds in particular grass, elder, bramble, clematis, cleavers and other aggressive climbing growth. This can be by using a suitable mulch, an appropriate herbicide or by hand-pulling. Strimming is not recommended because it is likely to damage the plants.
All dead plants must be replaced in the following planting season and at the end of the agreement there must be a living hedge for every metre of hedge that has been grant aided.
Protection
Protective fencing or individual guards will be required where it is necessary to prevent damage by livestock, deer, rabbits and other mammals. Spiral guards and tree shelters must be adequately supported and designed to last for five years. They must be removed once the plants have become established. Where protective fencing adjoins or is replaced alongside the restored hedge, this must be placed at least 1 metre away from the edge of the hedge.
Margin
Where the hedge is adjacent to cultivated fields an uncultivated margin is to be provided adjoining the hedge. If necessary uncultivated margins may be sown with a grass mix or allowed to develop through natural regeneration. They may only to be cut every 3 years in the late summer or autumn if this is necessary to prevent scrub encroachment.
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