Archive for Downsizer For an ethical approach to consumption
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Martyn
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'Firewood' hedge (and sheep)Hi
We're thinking of planting a short run of mixed hedge along a stretch of what is currently just sheep-fenced. We've seen advertised a mix of beech, chestnut, hazel and oak, and I was wondering a couple of things:
it's sold as a 'firewood' hedge for chipping into woodchip stoves/boilers, which we don't have, but as we want to hedge this stretch anyway we thought we may as well try to get something vaguely useful, so is this mix likely to give us a useable amount of kindling each year from ongoing trimmings (we're talking initially 40 metres, then if all goes well with it the same again next year)? The annual growth rates I've seen attributed to some of these plants seem a bit optimistic?
Also, while I'm assuming none of these plants is in any way harmful to sheep and/or (Kune Kune) pigs, are the animals (and I'm guessing, in particular the sheep) likely to destroy a young hedge like this through eating all the leaves and/or stripping the bark? 4-5 very young lambs (just weaned) would have clear access to the hedge for 3 or 4 weeks in Spring, then they'd go the other side of the sheep fencing from the hedge (but could still get their heads through). I don't have a problem with them munching the leaves and so on, obviously, but would we just lose the hedge completely?
Thanks in advance for any help. 
Martyn
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darkbrowneggs
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I'm not certain how you would get on. Certainly my sheep ate anything including barking older trees if they felt like it.
Many years ago I planted a hornbeam hedge to edge the garden with pig/sheep netting behind and two strands barbed on top, anything the sheep could nibble though the fence they did, and the cattle leaned over for the rest, result no hedge 
Others might know more, but that was certainly my experience.
All the best
Sue
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Treacodactyl
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My limited experience with sheep is they will eat any young trees if they're not protected.
I think oak and perhaps beech in the hedge will take a long time to grow and sweet chestnut can spit and spark in an open fire.
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gil
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Beech hedges are very common round here, but they are definitely hedges and do not produce much burnable wood.
If you want firewood, I'd go for ash and sycamore (much faster-growing), and grow them for coppicing.
To keep the sheep away, plant the saplings in a 'corridor' between post, net and barbed wire fencing.
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Dogwalker
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Make sure the sheep netting is far enough away from the hedge and properly tensioned.
Mine that was cut down last winter and being left to regrow is growing well on the garden side but bare on the field side of the stumps where the sheep have pushed against it to reach the tasty new shoots.
New fence this winter before I plant up the gaps. 
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Evergreen
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I think dogwalkers comment is sensible about fencing a good distance away from the hedge plants. But a hedge is not going to give you much in the way of woodfuel, not necessarily in species selection, mainly because of the way in which it is managed.
A hedge is allowed to grow for a period of time before it is cut at a desired height and width, its primary purpose was for stock control and shelter, hence a dense twiggy growth.
A better option might be to have an area devoted to coppice, where ash hazel and chestnut are allowed to develop multistems after initial coppicing and can be then harvested on a 5-10 year rotation. You can get quite a few nice loads of timber from quite a small space of maybe 20+ trees. Good luck and hope this helps. (My first post  )
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Dogwalker
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Welcome Evergreen.
I'm learning from experience.
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Martyn
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Hi
Thanks all, looks like a non-starter, which is a shame.
It's not a big deal as both stretches are securely fenced, I just prefer the look of hedges; while we certainly didn't expect a large amount of firewood, we thought it made sense to get something where the trimmings would at least make useful kindling. (We have an alternative supply of 'proper' firewood).
So if we'd like a hedge which the sheep/pigs won't demolish, is there really much choice beyond reliable old hawthorn? We could protect it for a year or two until established, if necessary. As I say, if the trimmings from maintenance produce good kindling, rather than bad kindling, that's a nice bonus too, rather than essential.
Thanks again
Martyn
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Ty Gwyn
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It needs protecting for a lot more than a year or two.
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Lorrainelovesplants
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We planted hornbeam, ash & sycamore. Its been 3 years and we still protect (and probably will for another 3 years).
Pigs will root at the bottom, sheep will nibble and stand on their back legs to reach into hedges.
As a result....our sheep are in a field bounded by Cornish walls (away from the firewood shelter belt).
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Martyn
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Thanks again for all the help.
Looks like we'll have to stick with the fencing for one section, but we're probably going to plant a hornbeam hedge along the other stretch, as we can more easily keep the animals away from there.
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