hedge laying & open cuts

[badgeringtim]

Ive put this here rather than the floara and fauna section as hedge laying is well recognised as a traditional craft but lookiing at some the other day it occured to me that the process leaves a very large area of exposed wood which is then open to infection or anything else.

Is it that its not really a problem and the typical hedgerow species are hardy enpough not to fall foul of anything or because its an old skill it was not particularly a point of interest back in the day? Are there a lot more arboracutlral deseases now with the poor controll of imported plants over the last 20 years or so?

Im just comparing with the amount of care usually done when removing a limb etc from a tree to prevent infection and not to leave a large area of dammage. Especially given that for a hawthorn to be a significant diameter its going to be older than you might think (well ok us here might appreciate that).

So no opinion either way yet - im a big fan of layed hedges and traditional crafts but also very fond of old hawthorns.

Thoughts?

 

[Melonfish]

I was on a course not long ago for hedge laying, the idea is that for the bit of trunk you have left that you haven't layed, you cut flat. don't leave any grooves or anything where water might get in or pool and cause infection.
otherwise the hardy hedgrows should grow fine!
the way we were shown was use the heel of the axe in a long stroke so you hit the stump accross the grain on the upwards part of the swing. chips the wood off quickly and leaves the area flattened out.

some of the really big trunks we layed are still going strong in their new (cheshire style) lays so the tree finds a way to keep going.

 

[calibanzwei]

For all your Hedgelaying needs:
http://handbooks.btcv.org.uk/handbooks/content/chapter/64

 

[Toadflax]

On the hedgelaying course I did recently at the Northmoor Trust in Oxfordshire, the instructor said that he will often deliberately take the bark off part way up the laid trunk, as he said that it would encourage side shooting, and thus help to thicken the hedge more quickly than it would otherwise.

However, the hedge that we laid comprised not terribly old trees, up to about 15 years old.


Geoff

 

[byfield lad]

Laying a hedge is the best thing for it. It allows it to thicken up from the bottom, it allows light into the base etc. Making the cut does it no harm so long as the cambium is intact on one side the sap will rise up into the laid pleachers (the parts that you lay). This will allow further growth. Think of it a bit like pruning, it encourages growth. Just have a look at any hedge laid this winter in july and you will lots of new growth

Andrew

 

[badgeringtim]

Thanks for the responses;
I think most of us are aware of the benefits of hedge laying, how it works and it wasnt quite the point i was asking about.
I was just pondering how there is a big difference in approach between that advocated when pruning or removal of limbs and that of hedge laying.
I suspect that the species generally laid are far more hardy, and have also often seen rough cuts leaving pooling areas and poorly laid hedge that has surbvived from at least a decade ago but have also seen it at least contribute to the demise of very old hawthorns etc.

I think the best thing for a hedge in terms of our wanting to maintain a hedge needent nessesairily be the best thing for the individual plant.

Are we to cautious with trees? Or are hedges simply not so important and generally the vast majority do thrive from the treatment so its not a worthwhile consideration?

cheers

 

[Melonfish]

Personally i think it varies by tree but overall yeah i think we are being too cautious with tree's. many tree's are damaged in all sorts of ways naturally from fire to lightning strike, animal abuse, flooding, wind. yet we see them thrive dispite all this.
a tree is a living organism and has survived on this planet for many many millions of years, long before we were even here. so i reckon they can take a lickin and keep on tickin.