Establishing New Hedge Plants and Trees

At Oakbank, we spend a lot of time helping clients design and establish new hedge plantings. Done well, they can transform a farm - in terms of climate regulation, biodiversity and long-term resilience. Planting makes ecological sense and can be supported by grant and private funding.

The grants: good incentives but watch the dates

If you applied for the recent Capital Grant option BN11 (planting new hedges) in England, for example, the payment is £22.97/m – which is more than it costs to establish a new hedge, even when you factor in all the plants, materials and labour. The payment therefore also encourages aftercare, including replacing failed plants and weed control in the first couple of years. In our experience, this is where things often go wrong. Too many hedges are planted and then forgotten, and the result is patchy growth, bare bases and wasted effort.

Where aftercare is done properly, the hedge quickly thickens into something stock-proof and wildlife-rich. Studies confirm that improved hedgerow management and enhancement can significantly boost biodiversity across farmed landscapes (Staley et al., 2023)

But a key caveat: the Capital Grants offer is currently closed for new applications. As of 1 August 2025, Defra announced that all available funding for the 2025 round of Capital Grants had been fully allocated.

👉 Read further Capital Grants 2025 guidance on GOV.UK

So here is how to interpret this for your planning:

• If you already hold or have applied under an existing agreement, proceed according to scheme rules. We can provide you with a competitive offer for planting stock and tree guards, as well as advice on species.

• If you don’t have an agreement now, you can still plan and manage hedges as if you were in one - the practices are sound regardless of grant status.

• Expect new rounds: Defra states that the next round of funding will be available in 2026 (GOV.UK blog)

• Subscribe to our newsletter for timely updates, guidance and reminders.

It’s better to plan carefully now and be ready to act when funding returns, but never to compromise the biology or structure of your hedge in hopes of grant alone.

Timing for new hedge planting under BN11

Even though the current scheme window is closed, it’s useful to understand the rules and to adopt best practices regardless.

• Planting window: under BN11 you must plant between 1 November and 31 March, except in extreme conditions (e.g. ground frost or waterlogging)

• Clay soils: sometimes better to delay until March in heavy soils to avoid problems

• Site preparation: clear competing vegetation, prepare a 1.5 m strip (or wider), ensure soil is loose and friable

• Species and spacing rules: use native shrubs, no more than 70% of planting from any one species. Plant in two staggered rows, 40 cm apart, aiming for 6 plants per metre minimum

• Replacing failures: you must replace failed plants in the following planting season

• Removing guards: once establishment is adequate, remove guards and shelters to support natural growth

• Evidence and records: keep historical maps, planting maps, invoices, photos, dates, species lists, etc.

One note: BN11 is intended for new hedge planting (or where gaps exceed 20 m), whereas BN7 is for gapping up shorter gaps.

Trees, Shrubs and Hedging

View our range

Species mix and layout

A mixed-species hedge is more resilient, structurally richer and better for biodiversity than a single-species row. Global meta-analyses show farmland with hedgerows supports significantly higher biodiversity than farmland without them (García de León et al., 2021)

Here’s what we typically advise:

• Backbone species: Hawthorn (quickthorn) is often the largest component. Blackthorn can add thorny protection, but can also spread

• Supplementary species: Field maple, hazel, dogwood, dog rose, guelder rose, crab apple and spindle

• Shaded or woodland-edge zones: use more shade-tolerant types like holly, dogwood and hazel

• Distribution strategy: plant in small groups of 4 (a "family") and scatter these groups randomly along the run. This gives natural-looking clumps within a mixed line

• Ensure no one species exceeds 70% of the mix (per BN11 rules).

In practice, we’ve seen hedges fail because they were too uniform - disease or drought stress on the dominant species can cause a big gap. Mixed planting spreads the risk.

Trees within hedges – character, disease resistance and biodiversity

We recommend incorporating future standard trees into new hedges. Trees punctuate the line, create long-term landscape features and add another layer of habitat. Traditionally, ash, oak, and elm filled this role, but with ash dieback now widespread and other pests and diseases continuing to threaten UK trees, it’s important to plan for resilience. The government’s guidance on managing tree pests and diseases is a useful resource for anyone looking to future-proof new plantings

💡 One exciting development is the availability of disease-resistant elm cultivars

Some of the best European clones are now being propagated in the UK and we can advise on and source the best suited types. These cultivars grow strongly, adapt well to different soils, and offer a way of re-introducing elm to farmed landscapes. A number of English clones are also in the final stages of testing and should be available within the next couple of years.

Including elm in a hedge does more than mark the skyline. Elm is the key host plant for the White-letter hairstreak butterfly, a species that has suffered badly since Dutch elm disease wiped out most of its food source. By planting resistant elms, you’re not only restoring a much-loved tree but also supporting a threatened farmland butterfly.

In our experience, clients who plant a handful of trees along hedge lines often find they become focal points on the farm. They’re also a great talking point when walking a field edge.

Stock types: bare root vs cell-grown

Over the years, we’ve used both systems and each has its merits:

Bare root whips

• By far the most cost-effective option in terms of price per plant

• Available from mid-November until late winter, weather permitting (usually short window nowadays)

• Must be planted while dormant; success depends on root handling and early aftercare

• Vulnerable to spring droughts or late frosts if not well managed

Cell-grown (plug) plants

• More expensive, but far more forgiving

• Far wider planting window – plants can sustain themselves until soil conditions are optimal

• Better resilience in extreme weather (hot or dry spells)

• Far easier and quicker / cheaper planting (soil contact is better initially) and contractors prefer them

For large-scale farm hedging, bare root is still the default for its economy. But in marginal sites (poor soils, exposed fields, or dry topsoils) use plugs to reduce establishment risk.

Defender Tree Guards

Find out more

Support and protection: guards, fencing and maintenance

One recurring failure is when protection goes wrong. We’ve seen beautifully planted hedges ruined by ill-chosen or neglected guards. Here’s what we’ve learned:

• Plastic spiral guards and shelters can protect young shoots, but over time they can crack, litter the soil, and inhibit basal growth, leaving a naked stem (“lollipop hedge”)

• Biodegradable guards exist but at typically 2–3x the cost; they may make sense where premium or conservation outcomes matter

• Remove guards in a timely fashion: once plants are sufficiently established and are self-supporting, remove guards to allow light and branching

• Fencing both sides is, in our experience, often the best route where budget allows. With good fencing (deer netting, stock exclusion), you can avoid guards altogether. The shrubs then branch from low down, creating a dense, wildlife-friendly structure

• Weed control and mulching: in the first couple of years, compete control is vital. Long-term monitoring of hedgerow enhancement confirms that early weed control is one of the strongest predictors of survival and density (Tresise et al., 2021). We have experience of linear much matting, particularly in woodland planting, achieving 99% tree survival rate even in a drought year (👉 read more in the Suffolk Woodland Planting Case Study here). Hand-spreading 3-4” of well-rotted wood fibre or similar type chip or compost can also work very well for a couple of years.

• Replacements: keep an allowance (usually 5–10%) in your budget or plan for replacing losses in year 1 or 2

• Protecting hedges from browsing, drought, and disease is just as important as the initial planting. We always recommend monitoring young trees and hedges for signs of stress or infection and gov.uk’s tree pest and disease advice provides useful reference points

The hedge margin and landscape context

Any hedge is often only as good as the margin alongside it. We’ve seen the best results where the hedge meets a scrubby, uncut margin of 1–2 m width. That margin:

• Offers nesting habitat for ground-nesting birds (e.g. yellowhammer, grey partridge)

• Connects the hedge to in-field flora, insects and movement corridors

• Lets the hedge grow into a more natural structure, not just a “boundary line”

If the farm layout permits, position hedges in ways that link existing woodland, copses or wetlands, creating wildlife corridors rather than isolated strips.

What you can do even without a Capital Grant

Because the 2025 Capital Grant window is closed, many growers may be left without scheme support. But all the practices above still apply, and many elements are entirely viable without public funding. Here’s how to proceed:

• Stage your planting: start with stretches where you can manage aftercare well, then expand

• Prove success locally: if you achieve good survival and density, you’ll be ideally placed when new grant windows open

• Investigate diverse species and stay alert to potential pest or disease issues

• Use alternative funding or local grants (e.g. more local woodland trusts, landscape partnerships) as opportunities arise. Examples of these include Big Chalk and FiPL - call us if you would like support in putting a project or application together

---

The best hedges are those planted and looked after to last. Species mix, planting density, aftercare and spatial context are key. And as research shows, well-managed hedgerows provide not only wildlife corridors but also climate benefits and long-term resilience (Staley et al., 2023, Clark et al., 2025). Once well established, hedge maintenance shouldn’t be neglected. By managing hedges in the correct way, you can ensure they perform at their best as highways of habitat for many years. For a more in depth look at how to achieve this, read our blog 👉 Wildlife-Friendly Farming: Small Changes for Big Gains