Dash

Dear #rewilding / #permaculture / #smallholding / #tree planting people of the fediverse,

I'm looking for planting ideas for a field boundary windbreak, preferably fairly quick growing, ending up say 5-8m high or easily manageable to that height.

Exposed location - doing this because there is basically nothing between our kitchen garden/orchard trees and whatever weather comes up the Bristol Channel.

cont...

Oct 11 at 9:35amWeb
Show threadDashOct 11

The ground is full of bricks/rubble (ex farm track) with clay underneath, so discrete trees rather than traditional hedgerow because I don't mind digging a couple of dozen holes but I just won't be able to get several hundred whips into the ground.

Roe deer and rabbits all the time and sheep in the field for part of the year. OK with having to protect while they establish, but preferably not forever.

UK native species with habitat/ecological value.

Show threadDashOct 11

Current best idea is goat willow, coppiced for bushyness and so that ongoing management happens from ground level.

But very open to other ideas, things that would mix well, or reasons why that isn't a good idea.

Show threadDashOct 11
@Philsturgeon I hope you won't mind me tagging you in on this question ^^
Show threadPhil SturgeonOct 11
@dash hey dash! I can send you a handy PDF covering the amazing Optimim Shelterbelt design we follow from John Davies from The Tree Shop, worked on through partnership with Oxford University. Five meter strip (hedge, two rows of trees, hedge again) and it gives optimum wind porosity with minimum space used. Gimme an email address on private.
Show threadPhil SturgeonOct 11
@dash just read the cont. you can get a digger bar into that rubble but if there’s not much soil they’ll struggle. Individual trees won’t do so well at blocking wind if spaced out, so you’re looking for shrubs. Holly. Hazel. Beech. Blackthorn. Dogwood. Blackthorn will run and push through rubble to expand so you then just control / trim where it pops up that you don’t want and it’ll keep improving the wind block.
Show threadDash4d ago

@Philsturgeon Thanks for your thoughts.

I can't really do a 5m thick arrangement for a variety of geometry and access reasons. Further down the field is a normal single hedge (mostly blackthorn) that's been allowed to go up to 4-5m, that is a good enough windbreak.

Yes read 'shrubs' for 'trees'. Question really was "what can I plant every couple of metres that will fill into a complete barrier rather than having to get a double row of whips at close spacing into that ground"

Show threadDash4d ago

@Philsturgeon Pretty sure there's soil down there, this is more of a "throw bricks in till the tractor stops sinking" track than a solid layer of compacted hardcore.

That's a useful list of options.

I like blackthorn. It's consistent with what's around it, nothing seems to eat it, and I could probably almost do it by just digging up suckers from elsewhere around the place. My parents are a bit weird about it though and I do need their consent here.

Show threadDash4d ago

@Philsturgeon Quick look at beech suggests hornbeam would probably be better here as more tolerant of heavy clay.

Lots to think about though, so thanks again.

Show threadjandi4d ago

@Philsturgeon @dash Are you talking about this PDF? https://www.tree-shop.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/fact-sheet-6-of-6-shelter-belt.pdf

Also, a lot of resources here: https://www.organicresearchcentre.com/our-research/research-project-library/optimum-shelterbelts/

Show threadPhil Sturgeon1d ago
@jandi @dash that’s the stuff.
Show threadMa Quest Oct 11
@dash Thanks for posting! Tagging for an early #SolarPunkSunday
Show threadSteven Horror 💀4d ago
@dash Throwing this out there: some types of honeysuckle make fantastic windbreaks. The tend to grow more wide than high, but can get to 5m, and are a wonderful host to all kinds of creatures big and tiny.
Show threadPostcardsFromParadise4d ago

@dash

Here are some ideas from the Royal Horticultural Society:

https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/types/hedges/windbreaks-shelterbelts

Windbreaks and shelterbelts / RHS

Gardens in exposed locations are often subjected to strong winds that can damage garden plants. Windbreaks and shelterbelts are semi-permeable barriers that reduce wind speed and provide shelter for plants.