It’s that time of year when the snow melts, the wind picks up, and sticks decorate the lawn like confetti. It’s also the same time that Ohio activates the seasonal burn ban. No outdoor burning is permitted from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. during March, April, May, October, and November. The ban restricts burning yard waste and trash because of windy and dry conditions. For years, around our place, the annual problem was what to do with the piles of sticks, branches and cuttings from fruit trees and grapes. We couldn’t burn them and leaving them in the yard too long made a big mess to clean up later.
A couple of years ago, my husband suggested we build a brush fence (called a deadhedge) in the treeline adjacent to our pollinator field. The pollinator field did an excellent job of attracting birds, rabbits, and other small animals in addition to the pollinator insects. These new residents attracted another neighbor—the Red-tailed Hawk. Magnificent birds, but also skilled hunters of small animals, including the occasional pet. Farmer Moke’s (my husband) idea was to provide a safe home for the small critters in the field, and as a bonus, we had place to put our annual collection of sticks and they would compost naturally. This has been one of the most practical, functional, and easy to implement tasks that we’ve undertaken on the farm and I highly recommend it to anyone with suitable property. I say ‘suitable property’ because if you live in housing development with a lot of rules, you might find yourself on the wrong side of a neighborhood popularity contest.
Deadhedge fences have a long history rooted in traditional land management and practical necessity. They evolved as people had to deal with extra woody material and needed simple barriers. During the medieval period, farmers began using hedgerows—living fences made of shrubs and small trees. Trimmings from these hedges were often repurposed into what we now call deadhedges. The practice was then brought to the United States with immigrants.
There are several ways to build a deadhedge fence—some neater than others—but all use dead wood and plant material; none are of the white picket fence variety. We chose the simplest method and are very pleased with the outcome.
All varieties have meaningful benefits including providing wildlife habitat for small animals and insects, keeping yard waste out of landfills, providing a natural composting method, and creating a rustic, organic fence in garden areas. We absolutely love ours; it blends into the treeline and supports our environmental goals without feeling intrusive. There are considerations – because of the natural composting function, you must add to the top with new sticks and branches each year, maintaining the fence is an annual chore (of course, in Ohio picking up sticks in your lawn is an annual chore anyway), and you don’t control which animals or insects make the fence home. We don’t have venomous snakes in Northeast Ohio, but in other areas, this would be a consideration. Deadhedge fences are also less ‘tidy’ than traditional fencing and they’re wider, with width depending on the method used to build them. Our fence is generally between 2 – 3 feet wide and the same height, and it’s definitely messy.
So, if you’re looking for a simple, sustainable way to manage yard waste, a deadhedge fence is worth considering. If you’re ever nearby, you’re welcome to stop by and see ours in action. We'd love to give you a tour!
