In fact, we have quite a lot of ash already on the property. Most of it has been affected by the ash borer, to one degree or another. But, when I walked through the stands with a forester from the Extension service, I asked if I should cut them down. He replied that I should not. Since they were seeming to recover, and there is no point to trying to “control” the spread at this point, it was better to leave them. From these sorts of trees that exhibit at least some degree of resistance would likely come a strain that is truly resistant. The genetics are valuable. Although, if I add to the hedge/silvopasture, I’ll probably move around seedlings that are already here. Thus making use of my somewhat resistant genetics, rather than bringing in seedlings that might be more prone to die outright.
I’m contemplating some chestnut, too. But I’m not sure what sort. I’m given to understand that, while you can get American Chestnut seedlings, they’ll only make it for about 10-20 years before succumbing. Even “blight resistant” varieties just make it a little longer before they die. I do know that there are some chestnut plantations around, so I might see what they’ve gone to.
That’s encouraging about the ash on your property. Are they full forest trees that have survived? Street trees in cities are probably more susceptible due to less optimal growing conditions. As for the chestnuts, maybe go with hybrids. The dunstan variety sounds like it holds up. They’ve survived at a relatives property on a hilltop in 5a. Deer will destroy them if unprotected though.
Here , in WV. , all the big ash trees have succumbed to the bore .
I do see some young , up to ~ 4 inch ones that look healthy.
Since they are of the same gene pool.
I have little hope that these young ones are resistant , in the long term, as ALL the big ones have died.
Must be something about the juvenile ones that the bore has just not attacked yet.
I will speculate that as these young ones grow a little they too will decline. Not really any more resistant,than the others genetically.
But something to do with age.
Cutting ash trees that are more than 2 yrs dead. Is very dangerous.
The upper dead branches can fall on you as the tree is cut.
Ash wood rots quickly, after ~3 years the wood at cutting level may be comprised, with unpredictable results on your hinge cut.
Probably best to leave for the woodpeckers unless in a high traffic area.
I wouldn’t call it a “forest” but it’s a halfway decent stand of them. The larger trees are perhaps 8-10" diameter, and still alive.
I’m given to understand that the borer prefers the tissue between the outer bark and the “wood” portion - thus destroying the phloem and xylem that feeds the tree. It is true that younger trees are less prone to death - at first - because they don’t have the thick bark that the borer prefers. But the existence of a fairly sizable segment of older trees that are still hanging on - stressed, but alive - led to the advice to also leave the younger ones. And see how nature sorts out any potential for resistance.
Since the bulk of the trees are in a corner of the property where they’re unlikely to fall on anybody, there isn’t really any harm in letting forest do what forest does. If they do try to fall, they’ll likely catch in the surrounding maple canopy, anyway.
I’ve even got another ash in front of the house that took a fair beating from the borers, but seems to be recovering. The large sections of bark that came off at the height of infestation are beginning to scar down. We’ll see how it looks when it leafs out this spring.
I would think they’d make better standards than anything else, and another benefit is mature trees send out suckers (in the wild they form dense clonal thickets), which prefer shade when young and could therefore fill in sections of the hedge nearby… and then you could see how those sucker-grown plants feel about being laid.
I’d say just go with seedlings rather than grafted varieties, both because that’s cheaper and also I don’t know the effect on the grafted tree if you allow the rootstock to sucker.
I should add that not only are the fruit delicious, but as standards they would be gorgeous trees. The few times I’ve seen mature specimens out in the open they really catch your eyes with the luscious tropical looking leaves. They might shade the hedge a little too much in summer, but their suckers could solve that issue.
I also wanted to mention, since I have since been made aware by reading another thread related to walnuts that gooseberries are another viable option if you pick a cultivar that grows tall. They can be grown near walnuts and some are known for their wicked thorns so they would make a great hedge choice. Poorman, Hinnomaki Red, Hinnomaki Yellow, Black Velvet, and Oregon Champion appear to be favorites for taller bushes. They will also readily root from cuttings to my understanding. I have Hinnomaki yellow and Jeanne headed my way this year.
Gooseberries in a hedge sounds nice. But, not sure most will get tall as expected…even with no competition from other plants, I’ve not seen a 5’ Pixwell nor a 3’ Hinnomaki Red after 6 years.
Yes, I think the gooseberries will get their own spot. I’m also in a county where ribes are restricted. As much as I’d love to have Black Velvet, I have to be able to submit proof that it is WPBR resistant. I suspect the birds will “plant” some in the hedge over time. But I don’t intend to start with them there.
Hinnomaki Yellow is “vertically challenged” Yknow, I bet apples would work in this kind of hedge, since crabapples often grew in English hedges, and they are similar to the big hawthorns in England. The lower branches could be tied down to make a horizontal effect in the hedge, or just assume that other stuff will grow up around them to protect the trunks from chewing by horses, goats or sheep. Use small apple varieties that aren’t too hurt by hitting the ground, either very late or very early varieties to avoid them rotting and bringing yellow jackets and wasps in the summer heat.
Holly that is my worry as well. Here is a list from Michigan that may be helpful. www.michigan.gov › mdardPDF
Web results
White Pine Blister Rust Resistant Currant and Gooseberry … - State of Michigan
Edit : Google search and it will come up. I’m having trouble linking the pdf.
Pleached hedges are a cultural-historical practice of field fencing. This artisanal technique used to be widespread and popular in Europe. Working with natural materials, that technique is still of value for active cultural landscape management and is kept alive in the region of Nieheim (North Rhine-Westphalia). Since it is in line with nature conservation objectives, the traditional craftsmanship has gained new relevance. After about seven years, a hedge has to be re-wattled in the period of late winter until spring. Pleached hedges save timber and act as a supplier of additional food for animals.
Willow trees provide the thin old willow branches needed for wattling. The hedges furthermore consist of hazel bushes and whitethorn. Functioning as living fences, therefore, they are predominantly found in landscapes dominated by pastoral agriculture. When barbed wire was introduced in the 20th century though, pleached hedges declined rapidly. They were replaced by wire fences, and knowledge of wattling hedges widely was no longer passed on from one generation to the next. In the Nieheim area, the technique of pleached hedging has survived until today.
Nonetheless do pleached hedges still fulfil a variety of functions: not only are they a simple fence and save timber, but they also provide shade for livestock, demarcate land from each other, provide additional timber as well as hazelnuts and fodder. “Nieheime’s landscape of hedges” offers a piece of cultural history. For some years, wild hedges have been restored to update the visual landscape and to emphasize the versatility of these hedges. It holds great ecological value for flora and fauna: Birds get new habitats; hedgehogs, rabbits, dormice or the dormouse and partridges find places to breed and nest. As part of annual activities in the region of Nieheim, interested parties, especially children and adolescents, have the opportunity to get to know weaving techniques in a hands-on manner.
More on hedges here. I picked dog rose hips from hedgerows to make rose hip syrup while I lived in England. Our native rambling rose, Rosa setigera, doesn’t make good hips for harvesting, but sure is pretty in bloom.
And a very long page showing amazing (!!!) photos of hedges, old and new.
consort is the only black currant immune to WPBR. most of the reds and whites as most gooseberries are as well. south of central Maine bans all Ribes but here in the north we are allowed gooseberry and red/ white currants. crandal clove currant is legal as its R. odortatum not R. nigrum which is illegal in most restricted states.
For anybody who is interested, I did just record a podcast episode on coppice, pollard, and hedgelaying. It’s probably less detailed than the information in this thread, but if you want to listen along, it’s available on most podcast apps at this point, or you can access it directly here:
And Now I’m off to shop for serviceberry varieties that might do well in the hedge and also taste good.
A little After when you posted I read that Pollard coppice Download I sent,
and almost fell asleep reading it
It was long, but I have a better understanding of it.
Anyways
On that site someone listed it lists Spindle tree Our small native would be Wahoo Tree
I like the little seed pods like little red stars could also be used in floral arrangements for a weeding
I know girly girly girls like that sort of thing , but not that I am one or a girly guy I just like them too. .
(related to Burning bush)
Both appear to be present throughout New England, but it’s hard to say how common they are. (My parents have one in their back yard - think it’s a swamp red currant but I’d have to check. I suppose it could be a naturalized European currant or maybe a hybrid, too.)
