Making a dead hedge

[Toddy]

Round stake, often of fresh cut timber....like thon hazel and willow that's setting down roots I think it originally is the root of stump
I find honeysuckle easy to root, but we're very damp here. The other thing that grows well, and I can't seem to kill even when it's coming through a beech hedge is holly.

cheers,
M

 

[spandit]

I remember cutting up some sprouting willow. It had been sectioned for 6 months and stored dry - it was STILL trying to grow

Whilst checking today on the ones I coppiced earlier this year, I noticed this small rod, about 8" long:

I also had some longer poles that have been lying outside on a concrete slab and they've sprouted too. Crazy stuff!

 

[Coldfeet]

Over time, will you expect the wood you "stuff" the fence with to rot or season (or grow!)?

 

[spandit]

I'd expect the stuff at the bottom to grow (now!) but the rest will rot/compact down. Plenty more brash to replace it though

 

[milius2]

How about planting a few climbers like peas and beans on side or in a pot nearby? They would love your fence and you'd have a snack eventually.

 

[British Red]

I also had some longer poles that have been lying outside on a concrete slab and they've sprouted too. Crazy stuff!

Willow makes me laugh now - just break a stick off, thrust it into the ground, you get a tree. Why anyone pays to buy willow trees, I do not know!

 

[spandit]

That's why I wouldn't buy it for my tree planting. Would like some coloured varieties, though, which I may have to buy

 

[British Red]

For sure with the weird stuff. You can get rare stuff cheaply though if you look around. My True service trees came from Europe for a few quid. Small - but they will grow

 

[treadlightly]

Fascinating. If I were to use hazel poles instead of willow, would they grow too?

 

[British Red]

You can root hazel cuttings - but they aren't as easy as willow (very few things are to be honest)

 

[spandit]

I've been hammering willow stakes in where there are gaps under the fence - they're all sprouting too. I've also laid a sprouting log next to the fence in one place so should get some more trees from that too!

 

[John Fenna]

I tried planting some willow cuttings in my woods to make a wind/view break.
The willow was from trees in the area.
Not one single one took!
Green fingers? - I think not!

 

[spandit]

Goat willow doesn't grow easily from cuttings, John, but I'm surprised if it was a different species

 

[John Fenna]

Goat willow doesn't grow easily from cuttings, John, but I'm surprised if it was a different species

Probably goat....

 

[Rich D]

So this weekend I'm finishing off the bottom of the garden. Going to leave the very bottom as a natural area for wildlife it's only a small patch and for composting of the garden bits. If I just leave it like this it will look an eyesore (so the shorty tells me) so I was thinking of making a fedge along the lines of a willow hurdle. I can get some willow hedging stakes and I've got an unknown (to me climber) taking over the side of the house which is coming down that produces loads of growth and quite flexible stems (used them to make a wreath a chrimbo). So for you green wood/fedge experts in our community how does this sound. I was going to put the stakes at around 10 inches so it's a bit of a cross between a willow hurdle and a midland hedge sort of style. Any top tips?
PS I'm not bothered about the willow growing as the climber will supply the greenery I just prefer the idea of willow stakes instead of B and Q ugly manufactured things.
Cheers Rich

 

[spandit]

That's more or less what I did. If the willow stakes are old & dry then they won't grow... probably and they'll probably rot quite quickly but hopefully by then your other greenery will have covered it. Pictures please!

 

[Rich D]

Yours is what made me start thinking about it Spandit, loved the idea and great construction too, was going to single stake mine and not have the fill in the middle, suppose like a wattle. How's yours settled in now that spring's here? I'll take some photo's in the pouring rain forecast this weekend. Before, during and hopefully finished and post them up.

 

[British Red]

I'm sure if you find anyone with a willow they would let you grab a few stakes. We put 8 willow stakes in a few weeks ago as an experiment. They have 2" of growth on already

 

[spandit]

Mine is doing fine. I'll post a picture later if you like. I use it as a convenient place to dump brash that won't compost so easily, like brambles & holly. It's been dog proof so far anyway, which was the intended purpose

 

[Stanleythecat]

If you cut some willow and put it in a bucket with some water, along with the cuttings from other shrubs, the rooting hormone from the willow can stimulate new growth in the others. My father uses this on some Kent Cob and it had a very high success rate. Just thought I'd through that little pearl in there!