Hedge trees recover or not

Hello Tree Forum

I have quite a long rural hedge that has been neglected in many ways.
Over the winter I cleared the weeds including the dreaded Bramble as I call it, as it needs the persistence to get rid of it. The bramble never stopped putting out runners into the field. I also did a bit of replanting.

My question is a small number of the hedge trees are either dead or show very week growth. I have taken the photo (today in North Wales) to get advice from the forum. I guess a lot of the trunk circumference is dead and that is why I am getting the week growth on top?

The photo shows one of the healthier weak hedging trees, I believe wild plum. I say healthier as there are a number of strong suckers coming up from the roots and the top right growth is stronger on this weak hedging tree. Myself i think trees like the one in the photo can be left, the dead ones removed, but i am unsure with the very week trees/very little signs of leaves and no suckers should i give them more of a chance or cut them down?

I realize not all types of tree grow suckers and I can provide more photos.

kind regards
iain

 

If its as you say a rural hedge, I think I would just sit back and watch what happens.

 

Hello Pete and John

Thank you for your replies.

Kind of did have a time scale as the hedge borders a road and want to get it sheep proof.
As if a farmer grazed his sheep for a few weeks it would help sort out the grass problem on the slope.

I planted a few hundred trees this winter in some of the gaps mostly Hawthorn.
But in reality, I now realize that is not going to happen overnight or maybe ever, as gapping up is difficult due to the more established trees in the hedge and shading in certain areas due to wood as well. I could try a bit of coppicing this coming winter on some of the more established hedge trees as this should get stools to send up a number of lower down shoots thereby densifying the hedge and also give the new saplings more of a chance due to increased light.

So I have been working on running stock fencing parallel with the hedge to sort the problem. However, I am hit problems with even that due to locally having a problem with getting hold of 9 foot creosoted strainer posts/or used telegraph poles due to Covid affecting the supply chain. So if I had got the fence sorted I might not have asked the question on the forum as it did not matter with the main goal sheep proofing sorted.

I have quite a collection of trees here planted over the years a hobby I really enjoy. I think the wild plum in the photo is worth keeping especially due to the strong suckers. But some of the others look very unlikely to recover.

iain

 

Just a thought, but regarding gaps in rural hedges, is it possible to layer any of it this winter
Never had the chance to try it myself but seen it done.
If you have some tall stuff in the hedge chop it half way through and bend it down into the gaps and fix it down.