Dead hedge in the Ornamental Forest Garden, protecting a bamboo
A dead hedge, made from posts and scrubby branches, is an ideal temporary windbreak and wildlife habitat.
The benefits of a dead hedge, made from cut branches and foliage are:
- Windbreak shelter for young plants whilst plant windbreaks establish
- Habitat and food source for wildlife
- Uses up surplus cuttings rather than have a bonfire
They are simple to make—bang some home-made posts in pre-made holes in the ground (6-8cm posts are easy to hammer in, smaller ones flex too much) and pile up the branches inbetween the posts. Use a big pointy iron bar to make the holes, and a post hammer is handy as well.
The essence of a dead hedge is captured in this primitive yet adequate illustration
We planted a Yushania anceps ‘Pitt White’ bamboo in the Ornamental Forest Garden but it’s been battered a bit by winds, as the windbreak hedges have yet to get established, and the Broom nurse trees aren’t in place yet. So a dead hedge is an ideal solution.
The other side of the dead hedge, showing the weak and poorly bamboo
## Top tips
- Build the dead hedge near to where you are cutting the branches.
- Use existing stock fencing as one side of the dead hedge.
The dead hedge will take a while to decompose, as the branches aren’t touching the ground. It provides ideal shelter for insects, small birds and small mammals, plus you can top the hedge with more cuttings when it starts to reduce in bulk.
A dead hedge built with a stock fence on the outer side