What is "pleaching"

Pleach \Pleach\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Pleached; p. pr. & vb. n. Pleaching.] [Cf. OF. plaissier to bend, and also F. plisser to plait, L. plicare, plicitum, to fold, lay, or wind together. Cf. Plash to pleach.] To unite by interweaving, as branches of trees; to plash; to interlock. ``The pleached bower.''
--Shak.

vb. 1 (present participle of pleach English) 2 Pleaching or plashing is a technique of interweaving living and dead branches through a hedge for stock control.

Pleaching or plashing is a technique of interweaving living and dead branches through a hedge for stock control. Trees are planted in lines, the branches are woven together to strengthen and fill any weak spots until the hedge thickens. Branches in close contact may grow together, due to a natural phenomenon called inosculation, a natural graft. Pleach also means weaving of thin, whippy stems of trees to form a basketry effect.