A decade ago, we planted an 800-foot hedgerow along the edge of our peach orchard, and we thought it was time for an update on how it's doing.

What Is a Hedgerow, and Why Does It Matter

A hedgerow is a dense planting, typically of woody plants like trees and shrubs, often placed along the edge of a field. People have been planting hedgerows for thousands of years, serving as living fences to delineate property boundaries and provide privacy, but also to create windbreaks and protect crops. In a farm context, a hedgerow can provide many important ecosystem services.  Roots hold soil in place and slow erosion. Flowers provide nectar to feed native pollinators through different seasons. Berries and seeds feed birds and coyotes. Dense branches give small mammals like jack rabbits and beneficial insects a place to nest and hide. Over years, all of that plant material also stores carbon in the wood, roots, and soil.

What We Planted in 2016

We have several hedgerows planted throughout our acreage, but the hedgerow we put in a decade ago was planted with support from the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). NRCS provides grant funds to help farmers adopt and implement land conservation practices.

Using NRCS guidelines, we planted California natives, selecting species that could handle Brentwood's heat, grow vigorously so the hedgerow would fill in quickly, and provide food and shelter for wildlife. Since our orchard trees are all deciduous, we also wanted evergreen species that would stay green and structural when the peaches, plums, and other stone fruit went bare for winter.

For evergreens, we planted California Bay, Catalina Cherry, Grey Pine, and Manzanita. The Catalina Cherry and Manzanita produce berries that draw birds, and the Grey Pine was chosen in part because it grows tall enough to serve as a perch for birds of prey. For shrubs, we planted Brandegee's Sage, Bush Anemone, St. Catherine's Lace, and Wild Rose to support a long season of nectar, providing sustenance for bees and other pollinators like beetles, butterflies, and moths. 

Ten Years Later

The hedgerow has done exactly what we hoped, and then some. Every tree and shrub we put in is thriving, some of them now standing over fifteen feet tall. What started as a thin line of young plants along a bare orchard edge is now a full, established band of habitat.

The Grey Pine has grown tall enough to be one more perch option for birds of prey. We now see hawks regularly in and around the orchard, and they've become important allies against ground squirrels, one of the most difficult pests we deal with here.

Ten years on, we're glad to be celebrating the work our hedgerow does, fostering an ecosystem that gives a diversity of insects and mammals shelter and sustenance. It’s more than scenery. It’s a crucial part of the farm’s living conservation infrastructure.