Coppicing a hedge

[Rich]

Hello,

I'm going to be coppicing a hedge shortly. It's got so big and out of control it seems the only way of getting it back into some kind of order! There are deer around so I am intending to use the 'lop and top' to make a 6foot dead hedge to protect it from deer and create a screen whilst the new hedge is growing up. I'll be using 8 foot chestnut posts for the dead hedge as it may take a few years to come back. The only thing I'm concerned at is the dead hedge will need to be on the south side of the coppiced hedge, I guess this will effect the amount of light it gets, and hence it's rate of growth.

I could either make it a thick dead hedge, with all the lop and top contained within parrallel posts a couple of feet wide, or a weaved thiner dead hedge between single posts which will allow more light through. Does anyone think it will make a difference which one I choose.

Cheers

Rich

[carlight]

hi ,

I think it'll make no difference . The stools will regenerate at a stonking rate for a few years ,and may even grow faster with more shade . as ever tis tricky giving advice without seeing .

Hope you enjoy the work .

[woodlander]

They will definitly shoot up as carlight says but I have cut back a number of hedges mostly quick thorn and hazel and the dead hedge protects them the first year but, in our case the sheep get them the second year. I have had less losses by cutting them at about 4 foot above ground not so good for putting a bottom in the hedge but with some of these old thorns they struggle if they are cut at ground level at least by pollarding the trees are less likly to get blown over and will last much longer .The other option is to lay it ,sounds a daunting job though .