Forum

Replies

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  Mark October 29, 2009 at 9:40pm

  Kill or cure I reckon....obviously going to be problems with what they want...so long as they are aware..? Then go for it, although they may end up with a dead hedge !
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  Lawncare-4u.co.uk October 30, 2009 at 12:08am

  rip it out and sell them a nice 6ft fence !!!
  
  or lop tops of and leave the sides. maybe advise them to water it regulary.
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  Lawncare-4u.co.uk October 30, 2009 at 6:17pm

  how much do you charge for that pub job with chicken col?
  
  do you do anymore work there or just the grass? how often ? message me if u like.
  
  let me know when u have another mower and ill buy the viking from u !!!
  
  colin said:

  what regular maintenance comes from a fence? keep the hedge lol
  
  Robin Ainsworth said:

  rip it out and sell them a nice 6ft fence !!!
  
  or lop tops of and leave the sides. maybe advise them to water it regulary.
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  pete October 30, 2009 at 7:13pm

  Thanks for suggestions chaps but I wouldn't want to take any risks – just wondered if (and how) anybody had done a beech this overgrown before – and what happened.
  
  I think this is too overgrown to get back to how it was, the branches are reaching a good six foot out from the trunks and as I say in my experience cutting back a normally growing one 15” has taken a good three years to fill out again.
  
  Weaving in the branches is an idea I would never have thought of Pro Gard – how do you mean if this is feasible? - the branches are quite sparse so I could probably be quite firm with them and it wouldn't matter if some split a bit as I believe you can lay a beech hedge (?)
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  Lawncare-4u.co.uk October 30, 2009 at 8:01pm

  but what was that curry recipe again ?????????? i forgot - did u post somewhere?
  
  pete said:

  Thanks for suggestions chaps but I wouldn't want to take any risks – just wondered if (and how) anybody had done a beech this overgrown before – and what happened.
  
  I think this is too overgrown to get back to how it was, the branches are reaching a good six foot out from the trunks and as I say in my experience cutting back a normally growing one 15” has taken a good three years to fill out again.
  
  Weaving in the branches is an idea I would never have thought of Pro Gard – how do you mean if this is feasible? - the branches are quite sparse so I could probably be quite firm with them and it wouldn't matter if some split a bit as I believe you can lay a beech hedge (?)
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  pete October 31, 2009 at 2:59pm

  Ok, thanks, I'd love to have a go at that - I've tried to find out more about it but the nearest I can get is hedge laying or plessage (in France) – This weaving would be a sort of variation of laying I guess, but I don't know that I'd trust myself to do it first time in a client's garden.
  
  I've asked the same question on a lumberjack site and it was pointed out that if I were to take the top right down they would be faced with all the dead lower branches of the conifers behind (as Colin said). It was suggested to accept that the hedge has got away – take it down to 12 or 15 foot – take no more than 2-3 foot off the face and that way it could be done all in one shot as it'll never be a small hedge again.
  
  But I think this couple would prefer a tight hedge, so if your idea would work Pro Gard.... I'd have to take the top right back down, and if I were allowed to clean up the conifers behind, it could end up looking quite smart.
  
  I do know a chap that's won prizes for hedge laying – I'll see what he thinks , maybe get him to do it (and let me help)
  
  Robin - here's that curry recipe again. (its very good)
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  Gareth October 31, 2009 at 4:34pm

  Are you considering laying it? It would be interesting to know if your hedgelaying expert says thats a good way to renovate it. It seems to be a skill making a comeback?
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  pete November 22, 2009 at 6:08pm

  No, not laying, the idea is to see if the side branches would bend back to and along the line of the hedge if possible and weave them together - sounds a bit tricky - I'd leave it until sap's rising as Pro Gard says - but I might still split some - splitting is ok when laying, as branches are only bent to 45deg. or so, so sap can still rise. The idea here I think is to bend them back horizontally.
  
  Actually the more I think about it the more I want to have a go at it.
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  pete November 22, 2009 at 6:08pm

  I just read on an RHS page that Beech can be coppiced. Is there anybody that thinks I could maybe do that with my customers' hedge here successfully – and so to start a new hedge?
  It would give another option if so.
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  pete April 30, 2010 at 9:59pm

  I took these pictures two days ago... I'd just got myself all geared up to do it Pro Gard's way at the end of February, weaving the branches in - (I did a lot of research as I really wasn't sure about this an Pro's idea really was the only positive one - cheers mate!) I'd found out how to make the stretchy inner tube ties - but I must have dithered too much cuz he got someone else in... what do you think? (click on the pics)