Hedge laying is generally done between late September/ early October and late March/early May, depending on the local climate. The sap should have gone from the leaves, although they may not have fallen. Work should finish for the season when the buds burst. Never hedge lay or coppice during the time of vigorous growth in spring and early summer.
In southern England and the Midlands, hedge laying continues throughout the winter. In upland areas, including most of Wales, it is considered best to lay before Christmas or after about mid-February, to avoid the risk of hard frosts. However, this depends on local conditions; some places in cold parts of the country remain frost-free, while otherwise mild areas may contain frost pockets in certain spots.
Avoid laying a hedge during or just before hard frost. It is not always possible to forecast the weather, and many craftsmen discount the frost danger to a vigorous hedge. However, frost dries out the cut surface of the wood and may burst the cell walls. Stems are more brittle under these conditions, more likely to break while being laid, and less likely to survive laying, although tree species vary in their hardiness and flexibility when frosted.
Be particularly careful about frost when laying a hedge with large old pleachers. These are liable to be brittle anyway, and respond less well to cutting. Frost may kill them, while more vigorous cut stems survive. Laying early in the season is probably best, when there is still some sap flowing, and it gives the stems a chance to harden off before winter, and to resprout as soon as possible the next spring.
Work is difficult after heavy rains, especially if working from a ditch. Work is hazardous when the ditch or bank side is saturated and the footing is slippery. Ditching and turfing are nearly impossible in wet conditions.
