07 September 2023
Tillage update: Weather gives reprieve to clear fields and focus on hedgerow management
Great progress has been made with harvesting this week, reports Ciaran Collins, Teagasc Crops Specialist, and – apart for some beans – the vast majority of crops will harvested by the weekend.
The long overdue dry spell has given straw a chance to dry out and farmers are finally getting a chance to clear fields ahead of the next planting season.
The period between removing straw and the planting of the next crop is often used to manage hedgerows. Hedgerows are hugely important on all farms in terms of their biodiversity and carbon storage value. They also make a significant contribution to the minimum area of land devoted to non-productive areas and features, where the minimum requirement under BISS is 4%.
The bird nesting season runs from March 1st to August 31st inclusive, so tillage farmers have an opportunity to trim hedges from now until the end of February.
On this week’s Tillage Edge podcast, Dr. Catherine Keena, Teagasc Countryside Management Specialist, said that in general the quantity of hedges in Ireland is okay, but that it is all about the quality. In other words, Catherine was referring to the size of the hedge, with ‘bigger being better in terms of biodiversity and carbon storage’.
Allow hedges to grow to at least 1.5m in height and keep them dense at the base. Ideally allow an odd tree to grow up along the hedgerow. Catherine advises farmers that incrementally cutting the hedge is the best way to achieve a good quality hedge – going a little bit higher every year to achieve a good quality ‘A’ shaped hedge is recommended.
It is important to talk to your contractor to let them know what you want.
Best practice management for topped hedges, which are the most common on tillage farms, is to side trim from a wide base to a triangular profile. Leave this profile as high as possible, while still possible for the fail to the peak to control apical dominance, but this must be at least 1.5m above ground level or top of the bank (if present). Retain occasional thorn saplings to mature as standard thorn trees with a full canopy within every topped hedges.
Listen to the podcast below, where Catherine provides more information on hedgerow management:
Also read: Environment constraints, land access and income to be discussed at Crops Forum
Also read: The role of catch crops in nitrogen intake