Replacing A Fir Hedge

[harveymt]

My parent's house is surrounding by fir trees they planted many years ago. They have just been trimming them every year but they have still gotten far too big to manage. We've pulled some out as the site is protected by larger trees along one side and on another we've put in new beech hedging.

Along the back there is an area where they used to grow vegetables and soft fruit. They haven't done anything with it for a while and it's overgrown. The hedge here offers good protection to the allotment area. If I prune the firs back to a manageable size it would involve cutting off all the green on the fir. From what I've read this would probably kill the tree?

Im thinking therefore that I'd be better just ripping them out and replacing with a new hedge. I'd like to use some hedging plants that produce fruit. Is it just a matter of picking what fruit you want and what will grow well in your soil? Are there any issues with growing near to vegetables?

By having the mixed fruit hedging would I be right in thinking that it will add to the eco-variety (I forget the proper term, but you know what I mean hopefully), attract in beneficial wildlife and yield some fruit for me?

[oldie]

I put a hedge down a part of my garden this year. Hawthorn for the birds, crab apple to make jelly with the fruit, blackthorn use the berries for wine/gin and wild rose hip.I'm old enough to remember rose hip syrup. We used to have a competition at school to see which class could collect the most. Got paid as well and that was of more interest to me. I don't suppose that sort of thing would be allowed to-day.

[rana]

Single variety fir hedges can result an an almost sterile local environment. A mixed 'fruit' hedge would certainly improve diversity and I like the choice of shrubs made by Oldie. With careful selection it might be possible to have flower on the hedge over a long season which would help attract bees - from which the veg plot will also benefit.

If you do grub out firs the ground will need substantial feeding to beef it up for the new hedge.