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Attaching willow hurdles to conifer trunks

Posted: Sun Oct 13, 2013 4:07 pm
by Yorkshire Kris
Hi all,

What do you think is the best option? Cable ties (if they make them big enough) or wire or something else?

There is a trunk every 1ft or so, so should have enough points to attach the willow hurdles to them.

Re: Attaching willow hurdles to conifer trunks

Posted: Sun Oct 13, 2013 7:25 pm
by Deedee
You can link the Cable ties together untill you get the required length YK,

Re: Attaching willow hurdles to conifer trunks

Posted: Sun Oct 13, 2013 8:06 pm
by Delboy
You can get really long cable ties, they used to sell them in the range, but the last time I bought some was about 2 yrs ago.
Failing that there's always galvanised wire, the plastic coated stuff would probably last longer.

The house we are moving to has 2 x 6' privacy panels along the deck then the rest of the garden is only 4' panels, I hate it as there is no privacy. I was looking at the willow panels you mention as they would be easy to attach to the fence but they were almost £50 a pop :shock:

Re: Attaching willow hurdles to conifer trunks

Posted: Sun Oct 13, 2013 8:27 pm
by Yorkshire Kris
Delboy wrote:You can get really long cable ties, they used to sell them in the range, but the last time I bought some was about 2 yrs ago.
Failing that there's always galvanised wire, the plastic coated stuff would probably last longer.

The house we are moving to has 2 x 6' privacy panels along the deck then the rest of the garden is only 4' panels, I hate it as there is no privacy. I was looking at the willow panels you mention as they would be easy to attach to the fence but they were almost £50 a pop :shock:
They are not cheap but compared to having to dig loads of holes, paying for posts and postcrete and fittings they are viable option for me.
Deedee wrote:You can link the Cable ties together untill you get the required length YK,
Can you? I'd not thought about that? Thanks! icon_study

Re: Attaching willow hurdles to conifer trunks

Posted: Mon Oct 14, 2013 8:37 am
by Dave Brown
Yorkshire Kris wrote:
Deedee wrote:You can link the Cable ties together untill you get the required length YK,
Can you? I'd not thought about that? Thanks! icon_study

You just put the tail of one through the head of another and so on. But make sure they face the right way as they only have the gripping teeth on one side. :wink:

Re: Attaching willow hurdles to conifer trunks

Posted: Mon Oct 14, 2013 9:17 am
by Delboy
Yorkshire Kris wrote:
Delboy wrote:You can get really long cable ties, they used to sell them in the range, but the last time I bought some was about 2 yrs ago.
Failing that there's always galvanised wire, the plastic coated stuff would probably last longer.

The house we are moving to has 2 x 6' privacy panels along the deck then the rest of the garden is only 4' panels, I hate it as there is no privacy. I was looking at the willow panels you mention as they would be easy to attach to the fence but they were almost £50 a pop :shock:
They are not cheap but compared to having to dig loads of holes, paying for posts and postcrete and fittings they are viable option for me.
Deedee wrote:You can link the Cable ties together untill you get the required length YK,
Can you? I'd not thought about that? Thanks! icon_study
Yes I can see they would definitely be a cheaper option for you Kris,and trying to put posts in with all those roots would be a killer.

Re: Attaching willow hurdles to conifer trunks

Posted: Mon Oct 14, 2013 11:29 am
by Yorkshire Kris
Dave Brown wrote:
Yorkshire Kris wrote:
Deedee wrote:You can link the Cable ties together untill you get the required length YK,
Can you? I'd not thought about that? Thanks! icon_study

You just put the tail of one through the head of another and so on. But make sure they face the right way as they only have the gripping teeth on one side. :wink:
icon_salut

Re: Attaching willow hurdles to conifer trunks

Posted: Mon Oct 14, 2013 11:38 am
by Kristen
Will they strangle the conifers over the coming years? (Assuming these are your neighbour's hedge, rather than some that you have "killed" already)

Re: Attaching willow hurdles to conifer trunks

Posted: Mon Oct 14, 2013 11:47 am
by Yorkshire Kris
Kristen wrote:Will they strangle the conifers over the coming years? (Assuming these are your neighbour's hedge, rather than some that you have "killed" already)

The conifers are old and I don't think they are growing bigger. The main trunk is just supporting the branches which are getting bigger. Anyway that's what I'm telling myself. You are probably right. :|

Re: Attaching willow hurdles to conifer trunks

Posted: Mon Oct 14, 2013 12:42 pm
by Kristen
Perhaps tie them in such a way that the trunks can still expand somewhat ...

Or use the adjustable tree ties?

Image
http://www.lbsbuyersguide.co.uk/plant-s ... -ties.html

I bought a box-full of them a while back and they were pretty cheap. Forgotten where they came from though, sorry.

Re: Attaching willow hurdles to conifer trunks

Posted: Mon Oct 14, 2013 4:24 pm
by Mr List
why not just tie them with string?

Re: Attaching willow hurdles to conifer trunks

Posted: Mon Oct 14, 2013 7:30 pm
by Yorkshire Kris
Mr List wrote:why not just tie them with string?

Because that would take too long and not be as long lasting.
Kristen wrote:Perhaps tie them in such a way that the trunks can still expand somewhat ...

Or use the adjustable tree ties?

[ Image ]
http://www.lbsbuyersguide.co.uk/plant-s ... -ties.html

I bought a box-full of them a while back and they were pretty cheap. Forgotten where they came from though, sorry.
They could be the answer. I'll have to check those out. Thanks Kristen.

Re: Attaching willow hurdles to conifer trunks

Posted: Mon Oct 14, 2013 9:49 pm
by Mr List
the ties are not supposed to be permanent on living willow hurdles though, are they?

Re: Attaching willow hurdles to conifer trunks

Posted: Mon Oct 14, 2013 10:44 pm
by Conifers
Yorkshire Kris wrote:The conifers are old and I don't think they are growing bigger. The main trunk is just supporting the branches which are getting bigger. Anyway that's what I'm telling myself. You are probably right. :|
'Fraid not . . . they are growing bigger. And bigger. And bigger . . . some day they'll be like this icon_thumright

Image
Yep, that's a Leyland Cypress with a trunk over a metre in diameter :mrgreen:

Re: Attaching willow hurdles to conifer trunks

Posted: Tue Oct 15, 2013 10:27 am
by Yorkshire Kris
Mr List wrote:the ties are not supposed to be permanent on living willow hurdles though, are they?

I am using dried willow hurdles. Like the ones Primrose sell.

Conifers, the conifer hedge has been in 30 years plus. The trunks are around 20 to 30cm in diameter on average.