“It’s time to get your hedges and trees planted!”

That’s the message from Butterwick Trees, who grow 300,000 native trees and hedges for farm and forestry planting – and which can be delivered direct to your farm.  

Recognising that farmers and land agents have helped to shape the landscape with hedgerows and tree plantations for many centuries and the importance of continuing this for future generations, the H&H Group teamed up with Butterwick Trees to offer its customers the facility to buy native grown trees backed up by sound, practical advice and guidance on all matters relating to trees from type through to environmental benefits and how best to offset your carbon footprint.  With a first class service, quality products and very competitive prices this resource is now available to all farmers, estate managers and gamekeepers with forthcoming projects to plant farm woods and hedges, shelter belts and game cover within the Cumbria area.

Farm Hedge Packs
To ensure a strong, stock-proof, farm hedge a good mix would be:

• 70%  Hawthorn
  
• 20%  Blackthorn
  
• 10%  Mixture of Crab Apple, Field Maple, Hazel and perhaps a few Holly

The Hawthorn is the mainstay giving a thick strong barrier with the red berries providing a good source of winter food for birds.

Blackthorn is a stout thorny bush which spreads and thickens the hedge. It flowers early before it comes into leaf, making it a welcome sign of spring. The blue berries can be collected in autumn for the production of sloe gin.

Field Maple will give the hedgerow glorious yellow autumn colour, whilst Crab Apple and Hazel provide yet more winter food for birds and squirrels.

Holly may be specified to add evergreen content.

Cell Grown Plants

The plants are cell-grown, which means each plant comes with its own plug of compost which will help feed it well into the year after planting. Expect a good start and fast growth since root disturbance is minimal.  Don’t panic if planting is delayed as cell-grown plants can be planted later than bare root plants.

You will need to protect the young plants against rabbits, therefore 60cm rabbit spirals and canes are provided in the Hedge Packs, which are reasonably priced at only £2.99 per metre. This is based on a double row of 6 plants per metre (planted 30cm apart in the row and 30cm between rows).

Shelter Belts

When planting Shelter Belts use a mixture of fast-growing species such as Rowan, Alder and Silver Birch but also include some good quality hardwood trees for the future ie Oak, Ash and Sycamore.  In addition, Scots Pines are worth including for some evergreen content and Larch give beautiful autumn colour.

Most farms have room for trees and trees add value to farms...