New Hedges in Teagasc Moorepark

On Curtins Research Farm Moorepark, 1km of new native hedges was planted over the past year with a further 1km planned over the next few months. In all, the Teagasc Moorepark farms have planted over 5 km of hedges recently. Catherine Keena, Teagasc & Caroline O’Sullivan, Farm Manager tell us more.

In November 2019, the ground was sprayed off and a few weeks later the hedge was planted using two year old whips at six plants per metre in a double staggered row. Since then this hedge has been weeded once by hand once during the summer.

Every 50m a low diversity and a high diversity hedge was planted. The low diversity hedge contains 5 whitethorn per metre and one blackthorn per metre. In the high diversity hedge, one of the whitethorn plants per metre was replaced with one of the following species: hazel, crab apple, spindle or dog rose.

Caroline O’Sullivan, Farm Manager Curtins Research Farm Moorepark pictured above on the farm.

One planted the hedge was fenced at a total width of 2.5m side by side and a distance above the ground of approximately 1m and this allows the cows graze under the wire.

As a research farm, it is intended to look at different planting and management options for hedges over the coming years. All will benefit biodiversity and it’s lovely to see hedges and intensive dairy farming side by side.

Left to Right: Whitethorn, blackthorn, hazel, crab apply, spindle and dog rose

All Hedgerow week information is available here