How to manage my hedgerow for wildlife

  • Remove weeds by hoe or by hand to reduce competition for water whilst your hedgerow establishes.
  • Allow plants to establish for at least a year before pruning.
  • Late winter (January & February) is a good time to prune because fruit and berries will have been eaten and your plants will be dormant.
  • Do not prune during spring or summer as you may disturb nesting birds and other wildlife.
  • Trim your hedge to keep it at the height and spread you want. If possible cut on a three year cycle (one side, top, the other side) to allow time for flowering and fruiting shrubs to develop.
  • The best wildlife hedgerows are an ‘A’ shape, thick at the base and thinner on top to allow light through to the ground flora.
  • If you have space, allow some native trees to grow to maturity as standards within the hedge.
  • Dead and decaying wood is an important feature of hedgerow. Providing they pose no risk of harm or injury try to leave dead branches and trees to rot down naturally.

Posted in: Wildlife Gardening on 16 June 2015


Back to the in your garden homepage

Time Δ Debug Message - Perch Runway 3.2
1787562486.29890 [907] SELECT p.pagePath, pr.routePattern, pr.routeRegExp, p.pageTemplate, pr.routeOrder, s.settingValue AS siteOffline FROM swt_pages_staging p LEFT JOIN swt_page_routes pr ON p.pageID=pr.pageID LEFT JOIN swt_settings s ON s.settingID='siteOffline' UNION SELECT NULL AS pagePath, pr2.routePattern, pr2.routeRegExp, pr2.templatePath AS pageTemplate, pr2.routeOrder, NULL AS siteOffline FROM swt_page_routes pr2 WHERE templateID!=0 ORDER BY routeOrder ASC, pagePath ASC
1787562486.33560.0367Matched route: discover/in-your-garden/article/[i:id]
1787562486.33570.0002Server address: 216.73.217.165
1787562486.33580Using master page: /templates/pages/in-your-garden/post.php
1787562486.33580Page arguments: 
Array
(
    [0] => /discover/in-your-garden/article/132
    [id] => 132
    [1] => 132
)
1787562486.3360.0002 [1] SELECT * FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pagePath='/discover/in-your-garden/article' LIMIT 1
1787562486.33710.0011 [86] SELECT DISTINCT settingID, settingValue FROM swt_settings WHERE userID=0
1787562486.33930.0022 [1] SELECT * FROM swt_shop_cart WHERE cartID=24429816
1787562486.34010.0008 [1] SELECT * FROM swt_shop_cart WHERE cartID=24429816
1787562486.34080.0007 [nil] SELECT * FROM swt_shop_sales WHERE saleFrom<='2026-08-24 09:08:00' AND saleTo>'2026-08-24 09:08:00' AND saleActive=1 AND saleDeleted IS NULL ORDER BY saleOrder ASC
1787562486.34170.0009 [1] SELECT collectionID, collectionTemplate FROM swt_collections WHERE collectionKey='Wildcall'
1787562486.34230.0006 [1] SELECT * FROM ( SELECT idx.itemID, ci.collectionID, ci.itemJSON, idx2.indexValue as sortval FROM swt_collection_index idx JOIN swt_collection_items ci ON idx.itemID=ci.itemID AND idx.itemRev=ci.itemRev AND idx.collectionID=ci.collectionID JOIN swt_collection_revisions cr ON idx.itemID=cr.itemID AND idx.itemRev=cr.itemRev AND idx.collectionID=ci.collectionID JOIN swt_collection_index idx2 ON idx.itemID=idx2.itemID AND idx.itemRev=idx2.itemRev AND idx2.indexKey='_order' WHERE (idx.collectionID=5) AND ((idx.indexKey='_id' AND idx.indexValue=132)) AND idx.itemID=idx2.itemID AND idx.itemRev=idx2.itemRev ) as tbl GROUP BY itemID, itemJSON, sortval ORDER BY sortval ASC
1787562486.34570.0034Using template: /templates/content/wildcall.html
1787562486.34580.0002 [1] Using sub-template: /templates/content/mixed_content.html
1787562486.3460.0002Using sub-template: /templates/content/text_block.html
1787562486.34610Using sub-template: /templates/content/thumbnails.html
1787562486.34610Using sub-template: /templates/content/image.html
1787562486.34610Using sub-template: /templates/content/gallery.html
1787562486.34620Using sub-template: /templates/content/video.html
1787562486.34620Using sub-template: /templates/content/ask_inline.html
1787562486.34620Using sub-template: /templates/content/legacy_request_form.html
1787562486.34630Using sub-template: /templates/content/image.html
1787562486.34630Using sub-template: /templates/content/code_block.html
1787562486.34630Using sub-template: /templates/content/customisable_donate_form.html
1787562486.34640Using sub-template: /templates/content/contact_form.html
1787562486.34650.0001Using sub-template: /templates/forms/details.html
1787562486.34660.0001Using sub-template: /templates/forms/_data_protection.html
1787562486.34670.0002Using sub-template: /templates/forms/_personal_details.html
1787562486.34680.0001Using sub-template: /templates/forms/_address.html
1787562486.34690Using sub-template: /templates/forms/_personal_details.html
1787562486.34690Using sub-template: /templates/forms/_address.html
1787562486.34690Using sub-template: /templates/forms/_data_protection.html
1787562486.3470Using sub-template: /templates/forms/_personal_details.html
1787562486.3470 [1] Using sub-template: /templates/forms/_data_protection.html
1787562486.3490.002 [1] SELECT * FROM swt_categories ORDER BY catTreePosition ASC
1787562486.35290.004 [162] SELECT catID, catPath FROM swt_categories
1787562486.35440.0014 [250] SELECT country, countryID FROM swt_shop_countries WHERE countryActive=1 ORDER BY country ASC
1787562486.3560.0017Using template: /templates/pages/attributes/seo.html
1787562486.35630.0003 [nil] SELECT regionID, regionTemplate, regionPage, regionRev AS rev FROM swt_content_regions WHERE regionKey='Banner image' AND (regionPage='/discover/in-your-garden/article' OR regionPage='*')
1787562486.35720.0009No matching content regions found. Check region name (Banner image) and page path options.
1787562486.35720 [nil] SELECT * FROM ( SELECT idx.itemID, c.regionID, idx.pageID, c.itemJSON, idx2.indexValue as sortval FROM swt_content_index idx JOIN swt_content_items c ON idx.itemID=c.itemID AND idx.itemRev=c.itemRev AND idx.regionID=c.regionID JOIN swt_content_index idx2 ON idx.itemID=idx2.itemID AND idx.itemRev=idx2.itemRev AND idx2.indexKey='_order' WHERE idx.regionID IS NULL AND idx.itemID=idx2.itemID AND idx.itemRev=idx2.itemRev ) as tbl GROUP BY itemID, pageID, itemJSON, sortval, regionID ORDER BY sortval ASC
1787562486.35830.0011 [82] SELECT * FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageNew=0 AND pageHidden=0 AND pageDepth >=0 AND pageDepth<=2 ORDER BY pageTreePosition ASC
1787562486.36280.0044 [1] SELECT pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pagePath='/discover/in-your-garden/article' LIMIT 1
1787562486.36350.0008 [4] SELECT pageID FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageTreePosition IN ('000-003-003-001-002', '000-003-003-001', '000-003-003', '000-003', '000') ORDER BY pageTreePosition DESC
1787562486.36660.003Using template: /templates/navigation/ps_nav_template.html
1787562486.36670.0001 [6] Using template: /templates/navigation/ps_nav_template_children.html
1787562486.36750.0008 [4] Using template: /templates/navigation/ps_nav_template_children.html
1787562486.3680.0005 [29] Using template: /templates/navigation/ps_nav_template_children.html
1787562486.37080.0028 [10] Using template: /templates/navigation/ps_nav_template_children.html
1787562486.37180.001 [7] Using template: /templates/navigation/ps_nav_template_children.html
1787562486.37250.0007 [9] Using template: /templates/navigation/ps_nav_template_children.html
1787562486.37550.003 [0] SELECT setID FROM swt_category_sets WHERE setSlug='' LIMIT 1
1787562486.37640.0009 [1] SELECT main.* FROM swt_categories main WHERE 1=1 AND (catPath='wildcall/wildlife-gardening/') ORDER BY catTreePosition ASC
1787562486.37740.0009 [1] Using template: /templates/categories/wildcall_banner.html
1787562486.37950.0021 [1] SELECT * FROM ( SELECT idx.itemID, ci.collectionID, ci.itemJSON, idx2.indexValue as sortval FROM swt_collection_index idx JOIN swt_collection_items ci ON idx.itemID=ci.itemID AND idx.itemRev=ci.itemRev AND idx.collectionID=ci.collectionID JOIN swt_collection_revisions cr ON idx.itemID=cr.itemID AND idx.itemRev=cr.itemRev AND idx.collectionID=ci.collectionID JOIN swt_collection_index idx2 ON idx.itemID=idx2.itemID AND idx.itemRev=idx2.itemRev AND idx2.indexKey='_order' WHERE (idx.collectionID=5) AND ((idx.indexKey='_id' AND idx.indexValue=132)) AND idx.itemID=idx2.itemID AND idx.itemRev=idx2.itemRev ) as tbl GROUP BY itemID, itemJSON, sortval ORDER BY sortval ASC
1787562486.38340.004Using template: /templates/content/wildcall.html
1787562486.38360.0002 [1] Using sub-template: /templates/content/mixed_content.html
1787562486.38380.0002Using sub-template: /templates/content/text_block.html
1787562486.38390Using sub-template: /templates/content/thumbnails.html
1787562486.38390Using sub-template: /templates/content/image.html
1787562486.38390Using sub-template: /templates/content/gallery.html
1787562486.3840Using sub-template: /templates/content/video.html
1787562486.3840Using sub-template: /templates/content/ask_inline.html
1787562486.38410Using sub-template: /templates/content/legacy_request_form.html
1787562486.38410Using sub-template: /templates/content/image.html
1787562486.38420Using sub-template: /templates/content/code_block.html
1787562486.38420.0001Using sub-template: /templates/content/customisable_donate_form.html
1787562486.38430Using sub-template: /templates/content/contact_form.html
1787562486.38440.0001Using sub-template: /templates/forms/details.html
1787562486.38450.0001Using sub-template: /templates/forms/_data_protection.html
1787562486.38450.0001Using sub-template: /templates/forms/_personal_details.html
1787562486.38460.0001Using sub-template: /templates/forms/_address.html
1787562486.38460Using sub-template: /templates/forms/_personal_details.html
1787562486.38470Using sub-template: /templates/forms/_address.html
1787562486.38470Using sub-template: /templates/forms/_data_protection.html
1787562486.38470Using sub-template: /templates/forms/_personal_details.html
1787562486.38480 [1] Using sub-template: /templates/forms/_data_protection.html
1787562486.38680.002 [1] SELECT * FROM swt_categories ORDER BY catTreePosition ASC
1787562486.39080.004 [1] SELECT pageID, pageParentID, pageDepth, pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pagePath='/what-we-do' OR pageSortPath='/what-we-do' LIMIT 1
1787562486.39170.0009 [1] SELECT pageID, pageParentID, pageDepth, pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageTreePosition='000-002' LIMIT 1
1787562486.39240.0007 [7] SELECT * FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageNew=0 AND pageHidden=0 AND pageTreePosition LIKE '000-002%' AND pageDepth >=1 AND pageDepth<=2 ORDER BY pageTreePosition ASC
1787562486.39560.0031 [1] SELECT pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pagePath='/discover/in-your-garden/article' LIMIT 1
1787562486.39620.0007 [4] SELECT pageID FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageTreePosition IN ('000-003-003-001-002', '000-003-003-001', '000-003-003', '000-003', '000') ORDER BY pageTreePosition DESC
1787562486.39910.0029 [6] Using template: /templates/navigation/footer-nav.html
1787562486.39970.0006 [1] SELECT pageID, pageParentID, pageDepth, pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pagePath='/make-a-difference' OR pageSortPath='/make-a-difference' LIMIT 1
1787562486.40030.0007 [1] SELECT pageID, pageParentID, pageDepth, pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageTreePosition='000-005' LIMIT 1
1787562486.40090.0006 [38] SELECT * FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageNew=0 AND pageHidden=0 AND pageTreePosition LIKE '000-005%' ORDER BY pageTreePosition ASC
1787562486.40430.0034 [1] SELECT pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pagePath='/discover/in-your-garden/article' LIMIT 1
1787562486.4050.0006 [4] SELECT pageID FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageTreePosition IN ('000-003-003-001-002', '000-003-003-001', '000-003-003', '000-003', '000') ORDER BY pageTreePosition DESC
1787562486.40770.0028 [10] Using template: /templates/navigation/footer-nav.html
1787562486.410.0023 [1] SELECT pageID, pageParentID, pageDepth, pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pagePath='/visit' OR pageSortPath='/visit' LIMIT 1
1787562486.41110.001 [1] SELECT pageID, pageParentID, pageDepth, pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageTreePosition='000-004' LIMIT 1
1787562486.41160.0005 [30] SELECT * FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageNew=0 AND pageHidden=0 AND pageTreePosition LIKE '000-004%' AND pageDepth >=1 AND pageDepth<=2 ORDER BY pageTreePosition ASC
1787562486.4150.0034 [1] SELECT pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pagePath='/discover/in-your-garden/article' LIMIT 1
1787562486.41570.0007 [4] SELECT pageID FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageTreePosition IN ('000-003-003-001-002', '000-003-003-001', '000-003-003', '000-003', '000') ORDER BY pageTreePosition DESC
1787562486.41870.003 [29] Using template: /templates/navigation/footer-nav.html
1787562486.42110.0024 [1] SELECT pageID, pageParentID, pageDepth, pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pagePath='/make-a-difference' OR pageSortPath='/make-a-difference' LIMIT 1
1787562486.4220.0009 [1] SELECT pageID, pageParentID, pageDepth, pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageTreePosition='000-005' LIMIT 1
1787562486.42270.0007 [11] SELECT * FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageNew=0 AND pageHidden=0 AND pageTreePosition LIKE '000-005%' AND pageDepth >=1 AND pageDepth<=2 ORDER BY pageTreePosition ASC
1787562486.42610.0033 [1] SELECT pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pagePath='/discover/in-your-garden/article' LIMIT 1
1787562486.42680.0008 [4] SELECT pageID FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageTreePosition IN ('000-003-003-001-002', '000-003-003-001', '000-003-003', '000-003', '000') ORDER BY pageTreePosition DESC
1787562486.43010.0032 [10] Using template: /templates/navigation/footer-nav.html
1787562486.43180.0018Request time: 0.1343
1787562486.43190Process time: 0.1341
1787562486.43190Memory: 1.7731