Down here we complain every year that the councils ARE cutting the verges. If only they could be left until the wild flower seeds were mature. Bluebells, primrose, orchids, foxgloves and many, many more flowers, all disposed of. It is so lovely to see the goldfinches feeding on the banks one day, and then sad when they're all gone the next after the tractor has passed.
Thankfully this year some councils are reducing the verge-cutting budgets. Hurray! Only one cut instead of two.
The semi-sadness we also have is that the hedges have all been trimmed recently. It looks so neat, but goodbye to all the berries for the birds. Thankfully the trees along the trunk roads are laden with berries. Thoughtful planting.
Hi Jill- I'd leave the mower on a higher setting as it prevents the grass struggling over winter and means it's got a better start next year and is more able to fight off the weeds. I cut mine about a week ago thinking it would be the last cut of the year, but with all the rain and some milder than usual weather, it's grown quite a bit since! Not sure I'll get a chance to give it another one though.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Thanks fairy girl, it just looks messy, and i want to tidy up but it,s very wet, so reading some replies above i,ll just have to take a chance on a fine day. Sorry to ask but how will it fight off weeds, dandilions from next door didnt help but coming from a concrete jungle it amazed me everyday the colour lol.
The grass is just stronger jill. If it gets scalped short by the mower, weeds get the upper hand and even over the winter they just sit there waiting for a glint of warmth and off they go. If the grass is healthy and well fed it can stop them getting too much of a foothold before you start to feed and cut in the spring. It also looks a bit better at the end of the winter when everything looks so dead and yellowy/brown - or it does up here anyway!
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Welshonion, it is unfortunate that hedges have to be cut back but it tends only to be on the road side and sometimes the top so there will still be berries on the field side. They do have to be cut at some stage and they can't be cut during the Spring & Summer months because of nesting birds.
Our council does leave the verges uncut as much as possible, but again there is a balance to be made between wildlife and being able to see when coming out of side roads! There is one junction, not far from us, where the height of the wild flowers etc makes exiting a little perilous to say the least.
No, the hedges do not have to be cut every year. Organic farmers are only allowed to cut them every two years. Nobody objects to banks being cut back at junctions or on bad bends, but they are of course mown on both sides,along the whole length of roads. They do have to be done once a year to keep the drains free, but not, surely when they are in full flower? And at the beginning of June?
A regularly cut hedge produces a thick dense structure ideal for wildlife,the lazy farmer cuts infrequently and then butchers the hedge leaving damaged branches susceptible to disease and looking horrible.the cost of cutting a hedge by hand is too great and cannot be justified but is the best solution.
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Down here we complain every year that the councils ARE cutting the verges. If only they could be left until the wild flower seeds were mature. Bluebells, primrose, orchids, foxgloves and many, many more flowers, all disposed of. It is so lovely to see the goldfinches feeding on the banks one day, and then sad when they're all gone the next after the tractor has passed.
Thankfully this year some councils are reducing the verge-cutting budgets. Hurray! Only one cut instead of two.
The semi-sadness we also have is that the hedges have all been trimmed recently. It looks so neat, but goodbye to all the berries for the birds. Thankfully the trees along the trunk roads are laden with berries. Thoughtful planting.
Hi Jill- I'd leave the mower on a higher setting as it prevents the grass struggling over winter and means it's got a better start next year and is more able to fight off the weeds. I cut mine about a week ago thinking it would be the last cut of the year, but with all the rain and some milder than usual weather, it's grown quite a bit since! Not sure I'll get a chance to give it another one though.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Thanks fairy girl, it just looks messy, and i want to tidy up but it,s very wet, so reading some replies above i,ll just have to take a chance on a fine day. Sorry to ask but how will it fight off weeds, dandilions from next door didnt help but coming from a concrete jungle it amazed me everyday the colour lol.
The grass is just stronger jill. If it gets scalped short by the mower, weeds get the upper hand and even over the winter they just sit there waiting for a glint of warmth and off they go. If the grass is healthy and well fed it can stop them getting too much of a foothold before you start to feed and cut in the spring. It also looks a bit better at the end of the winter when everything looks so dead and yellowy/brown - or it does up here anyway!
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Welshonion, it is unfortunate that hedges have to be cut back but it tends only to be on the road side and sometimes the top so there will still be berries on the field side. They do have to be cut at some stage and they can't be cut during the Spring & Summer months because of nesting birds.
Our council does leave the verges uncut as much as possible, but again there is a balance to be made between wildlife and being able to see when coming out of side roads! There is one junction, not far from us, where the height of the wild flowers etc makes exiting a little perilous to say the least.
No, the hedges do not have to be cut every year. Organic farmers are only allowed to cut them every two years. Nobody objects to banks being cut back at junctions or on bad bends, but they are of course mown on both sides,along the whole length of roads. They do have to be done once a year to keep the drains free, but not, surely when they are in full flower? And at the beginning of June?
A regularly cut hedge produces a thick dense structure ideal for wildlife,the lazy farmer cuts infrequently and then butchers the hedge leaving damaged branches susceptible to disease and looking horrible.the cost of cutting a hedge by hand is too great and cannot be justified but is the best solution.