Week 8
Tragedy! My song thrush[i] is still missing, for reasons I cannot work out. It may be because a neighbour is hard at work felling trees - you’ll have to ask him why as I have no clue - and the birds are wondering what to do. They are clearly confused, as I see them circle overhead looking for their favourite perches that have been there for 30 years. There are certainly fewer birds to see, although my two love-struck wood pigeons[ii] remain balanced on the fence outside my door, although this time they are no longer snuggling. Their backs are slightly turned to each other, but for the moment they are a together-item. Yet it is sad to find my song thrush still absent. As a perching bird (passerine) it is vulnerable to predation. Whatever the cause, raptor or no raptor, it is nowhere to be seen.
It has been an exciting week, with Spring just around the corner, although there are warnings we can expect the return of the so-called Beast from the East later in February or early March[iii]. The last time the Beast was here, in 2018, there were serious snowstorms, so I must prepare my skis in case the opportunity to use them arises on the fells nearby, while my land will doubtless be put through its paces. Meanwhile, RSG Horticulture, which does so much on my land, has fashioned a dead hedge[iv]. Thanks to vigorous pruning, I have plenty of cut branches and foliage that I would normally either burn, add to my compost heap, or have taken away for disposal. With the dead hedge, these cuttings have been turned into a barrier, to form a habitat and corridor for wildlife conservation. The dead hedge is only ten metres long but is out of sight behind some rhododendrons, and beside a small log hide I built last year in the hope of tempting hedgehogs. Sadly, to date I have been unsuccessful. I have seen hedgehogs on my trail camera but for the hide, its hedgehog count is zero. Perhaps the dead hedge will do better.
A dead hedge is an excellent way to put old wood to good use and can offer more rapid wildlife cover than a newly planted conventional hedge[v]. The principle is that the material in a dead hedge will slowly rot in ways that are perfect for ecosystems, although this can take several years[vi]. The trick is to build a dead hedge near to the woodland from which the wood derives, so it is not necessary to spend too long dragging old logs across open ground. A dead hedge is up to two metres high and is an upright structure of woody cuttings woven between vertical stakes[vii]. It can be built bit by bit, or all in one go, and is a good way of dividing land up into different sections, while remaining fantastic for wildlife. Mine is now complete, so the next step will be a trail camera to see if wildlife truly decides to use the dead hedge as home.
I have been busy mulching and composting over the past fortnight, so my compost area is nearly empty. Mulch[viii] was once a mystery to me, but I have now learned its value. The word describes any material that is spread over the surface of soil and used as a covering. The principle is that it retains moisture, blocks weeds, keeps plant roots at a reasonably constant temperature, prevents frost heave in winter, and makes land look more attractive[ix]. Mulch has plenty to offer and is either organic or inorganic. Inorganic mulch is synthetic and not made of natural materials, so does not add value to the soil. I do not use it on my land. Organic mulch is very helpful but does not suppress weeds as well as the inorganic variety. It will also decompose and must be replaced. It is helpful to know the origin of mulch, in my case that is easy as what is mine is mine, but if mulch is brought in from outside, it may harbour various chemicals, diseases, and plant life from wherever the mulch was found. Just as a fellow human can transmit COVID-19, so plants, trees and animals can do the same. Many different items can be used for organic mulch - bark, pine needles, grass clippings, shredded leaves, straw, or even newspaper. Some headlines I read deserve to end up as mulch but to many would look to be litter, so I will avoid newspaper cuttings for the moment and use anything that comes from my land. My compost heap is fair game.
Mulch is not all good. Too much, meaning a layer more than three inches deep, and plants can be buried and suffocate, as water and oxygen cannot reach their roots. Mulch can also rot bark if piled up around tree trunks and is a perfect place for slugs and snails to live. It can bake plants in midsummer, and light-coloured mulches, for example sawdust or fresh wood chips, can steal nitrogen from the soil as it breaks down[x]. For mulch, it is thus best used in moderation.
Not all my prunings end up in a dead hedge, or as mulch or compost, which are not the same thing[xi]. Mulch is lain on the top layer of soil whereas compost is used beneath the top layer. Compost directly benefits the soil itself and provides essential nutrients. Mulch is just a cover. Some of my prunings end up as wood ash, thanks to an occasional dare-I-say bonfire in my compost area. Wood ash is useful, largely because of its potassium content, which can be as high as 3%[xii]. It is the origin of the word potash.
Potassium is a major plant nutrient that is especially good for flowering and fruiting. However, it is best used in small quantities because it can be excessively alkaline, which can be a problem in areas such as Lakeland, where the soil is largely acidic. Although potassium is important, the most abundant mineral in wood ash is calcium[xiii], as this can help plants stave off disease. Wood ash also contains plenty of other minerals, including magnesium, sulphur, and phosphorous, all found at concentrations of around 2%. In addition, wood ash contains trace amounts of manganese, iron, zinc, aluminium, boron, copper, and other trace minerals. Wood ash works quickly, too, and is best applied at least a month before anything might be planted. So if old prunings are available, and bonfires are permitted, think about starting that bonfire now. Cautiously, of course, as neighbours may complain, but wood ash is a useful endpoint with benefits that many do not understand.
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Acknowledgement
Take it from me - none of this would be possible without the help of RSG Horticulture. Rufus, who runs it, has far more energy than me and is full of ideas and skills.
References [i] Turdus philomelos. Nest is built entirely by the female, and is normally low down, even on the ground if well protected. The nest is neat and can take up to three weeks to complete. Once hatched, the fledglings are looked after by the male while the female prepares for the next nesting efforts. There are heavy losses at egg and chick stage with only 30% of nests producing young. See 12 February 2023. [ii] Columba palumbus. The UK’s commonest and largest pigeon, it is mainly grey but shows a white neck patch and white wing patches in flight. It has an impressive nuptial display when it cracks its wings and then glides downwards on stiff wings. Nests vulnerable to attack by crows. Typical lifespan is three years. Often mates for life. https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/woodpigeon/. See 12 February 2023 [iii] https://www.lbc.co.uk/news/uk-beast-from-the-east-return-sudden-warning-met-office/. Accessed 18 February 2023 [iv] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dead_hedge. Accessed 18 February 2023 [v] https://www.rhs.org.uk/wildlife/dead-wood-compost-heap-habitats. Accessed 18 February 2023 [vi] https://www.woodlands.co.uk/blog/woodland-activities/dead-hedging-wildlife-friendly-and-people-guiding/. Accessed 18 February 2023 [vii] https://www.rspb.org.uk/get-involved/activities/nature-on-your-doorstep/garden-activities/build-a-dead-hedge-for-wildlife/. Accessed 18 February 2023 [viii] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mulch. Accessed 18 February 2023 [ix] https://www.thespruce.com/what-is-mulch-1402413. Accessed 18 February 2023 [x] https://www.almanac.com/types-mulch-advantages-and-disadvantages-mulching. Accessed 18 February 2023 [xi] https://www.thegardensuperstore.co.uk/advice-and-inspiration/are-mulch-and-compost-the-same-thing. Accessed 18 February 2023 [xii] https://www.rhs.org.uk/soil-composts-mulches/wood-ash-using-in-garden. Accessed 18 February 2023 [xiii] https://gardening.org/ways-to-use-wood-ash/#why-wood-ash. Accessed 18 February 2023
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