Allotment windbreak ideas?

[hamamelis]

I finally got to properly meet one of my plot neighbours today (apparently she broke her ankle, so hadn't been down in ages), and got talking about the dividing line between our plots. It's a northwest slope, and a bit of a wind tunnel. There have been a mass of brambles there, which I think neither of us really wanted to take out in case the other one liked them (they have been pretty productive), which have been gradually encroaching into both plots, and she hacked them back quite a lot recently.

We both agreed it would really be better to get rid of them entirely, as they'll just spread back- but they were a really good windbreak, and it's be nice to replace it with something else. It's the top of a pretty steep slope, not really on either plot, maybe 1.5 metres wide. We both thought we'd like something productive, but neither of us were sure what.

Jerusalem artichokes were suggested, as cheap and tall, but she doesn't like the taste, and my housemates don't like the effects, and anyway they're not very effective in winter or spring. Fruit would be great, but I don't know what would be the best option to not totally shade out her gooseberries, but still break up the gales a bit.

Any ideas?

Sorry in advance if I'm slow to reply, I'm vanishing into the wasteland (aka visiting the parents with no WiFi) for the weekend.

[Bohobumble]

I'dhave suggested raspberries

[Bigmallly]

I was also going to suggest Raspberries but maybe trained horizontally on wires then you can have them at the height you desire.

[veggiechicken]

Its funny how, whenever someone wants a Windbreak, they think of JAs
Can you tame the blackberries? Perhaps cut them back enough to make a row, then train them along wires? Just a thought since they are established, productive and free.

[arpoet]

I would suggest putting a wire fence between the plots and sow climbing Nasturtiums. They will be good for bees and other pollinators, give summer long colour and self seed.

[hamamelis]

I did think if raspberries- the problem is, they are a bit prone to wandering, and it's such an awkward spot to get to, due to the slope, which makes removing stray runners really difficult without causing an avalanche. There's also an enormous patch of mixed brambles and raspberries growing feral that form the entire other edge to her plot, and another smaller patch that grows through the fence from the park onto mine.

Nasturtiums are really pretty, and I grow a lot, but I'd ideally like something that would stay providing a bit of a break all winter. I guess the fence would, but I wonder if there's anything more substantial I could train up them? I wondered about grapes, but I dunno if they'd stand up to the wind. She suggested espalier trees, but again, maybe a wind tunnel isn't the best spot.

Before the brambles got that big, I was getting some real winter wind damage (stuff like an aluminium framed cold frame which largely blew away). Despite the strong wind last winter, I got none, so it really does seem to make a difference.

[TrysHard]

Feral Raspberries sound tasty.

If the area is really bad to access etc and the brambles work - is it really that difficult to manage them compared to the work of removing them and replanting etc.

[Jay-ell]

Willow or hazel which you would then be able to coppice or pollard for supports? Hawthorn for fruits for yourselves and the birds? Climbing roses trained along a fence, cut flowers/edible petals/edible fruits? Autumn Olives for the fruits?


Apart from the windbreak and not spreading all over the place, what other criteria are necessary?

[Kristen]

If you aren't interested in harvesting the Jerusalem Artichokes they will provide reasonable cover during the winter. Not sure you'd even need to cut them down in the Spring, the new shoots would grow up amongst the old canes I reckon.

For a quick solution I would put scaffolders debris netting up as a "fence" windbreak.

Planting a hedge would be best for the long term (on the leeward side of the scaffolders debris netting, so it gets the protection to help it grow more quickly), if it isn't worth growing anything productive there. Trees might be better still, to force the wind up & over the whole plot.

[hamamelis]

Thanks, I might try the debris netting while something gets established, if she's agreeable, I didn't think of that. I might look into getting some apples or pears as an espalier, as it'd be OK access unless the roots spread down the slope, if it was planned right.

Ideally we'd both like some kind of fruit or edible from it, just.. not blackberries.

It us going to be a big job to take out the brambles, but one big job is something I'm OK signing up for, but continued digging or heavy work on the slope would probably be tricky and damage the frtuit bushes she has on it.

[skeggijon]

Personally I'd stick with what you've got. Its already established and should be providing a really good windbreak I would have thought.
Any live windbreak which is effective would need to be hacked back to keep in check. But thats just my humble opion for what its worth lol

[hamamelis]

Not really an option! My neighbour has already taken a lot of it out, as she'd lost well over a metre of her plot to it, and the leftover bits probably won't do much at all as a windbreak. Until they inevitably grow rampant again, of course...

Plus it's so invasive, I really don't want it there- it throws suckers up way away from the original plant (all the way through the closest bed and out the other side), which can be very hard to dig out. I'd like to grow some currant bushes along that side of the plot, but I can't while that bramble's there.

I've been hoping to get rid of it for ages, but without the cooperation of my neighbour there would have been no point, as I'd only be able to get half out without digging on her plot.

[skeggijon]

Ah sorry, currant bushes in that case would be ideal - redcurrant for me

[danny31]

I wonder if a damson or some tough crab apple variety would work. They might suffer a bit with the exposure but save you a bit of a battle. Or chaenomeles (ornamental quince), which give colour and sometimes nice fruit.

[roitelet]

I would clear the brambles and then put up debris netting to break the wind while you decide what to plant. For every one foot of height you will get eight feet of protection from the wind. Currant bushes would be good and they can be grown as a hedge as can gooseberries. Just leave the netting in place until they get well established. I had a garden in Devon facing the Bristol Channel and 500 feet up and was a wind tunnel the netting and then plants worked well.