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Sloes and damsons are in good supply this September in your local hedgerows. I have relied on my own blackberries this year but from the train window yesterday there were masses of plump black fruit for picking.<\/p>\n
Forage amongst the book shelves to get a cornucopia of edible wild plant ideas.<\/p>\n
Easy Step by Step Hedge<\/strong><\/p>\n Clear the ground to remove weeds and old roots by digging or using Glyphosphate<\/a> based weedkiller. Leave for a few weeks.![\"Book](\"http:\/\/images.amazon.com\/images\/P\/0007183038.01.MZZZZZZZ.jpg\")
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\nYou can plant your own edible hedge now until late March which will give you a supply of edible fruit and berries for years to come. Bare rooted plants are very reasonably priced.<\/p>\n
\nPick a frost free day and when ready to plant put bundles of bare rooted plants into a bucket of water to give them a drink.
\nMark out the line of the hedgerow bearing in mind you will want two staggered rows of plants. You can put down mulch matting and plant through it if you wish.
\nYou will need 4-5 plants per square yard.
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\nPush in the spade and lean it backward to create a planting pocket into which you can drop a bare rooted plant.
\nDo not plant any deeper than the plant was previously grown (there will be a soil mark or obvious crown where the stem starts and roots finish.)
\nRemove the spade and stamp the soil down around the new plants as they need to be in good contact with the soil.
\nCut back thorny plants by half to encourage bushy growth.
\nWater plants well and keep watering regularly if the conditions are dry.
\nTaller trees may need some early staking support.
\nIf you are troubled with rabbits fit a spiral protector on each plant.<\/p>\n
\nEdible Hedge Plants to Grow<\/strong>
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\nWild Pear and Crab apples for the fruit
\nHazel both male and female plants for pollination.
\nBlackberry <\/a>are a top hedge row favourite despite the thorns.
\nBlackthorn for the Sloes and height
\nDog Roses and Hawthorn for the Hips and Haws
\nElder for the flowers to make cordial or berries for home made wine.
\nDamsons for jam if space permits
\nWild Cherry
\nRaspberries but they try to move away from the hedge looking for moisture.<\/p>\n
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