Maybe the UK should plant more....

[Mark J]

9 minutes ago, MattyF said:

Went out for a walk in a FC eucalyptus test plantations in keilder forest this afternoon , interesting lines of eucalyptus all named and numbered but mostly just the rotting trunks of semi mature trees present, they looked like they achieved about 30ft then died in most of the blocks but visibly out of a lot I’m guessing only 3 types survived , unfortunately the tags for these survivors have long rotted away so would be hard to ID , I guess E gunnii does not do to well as those lines where all dead ! To be honest it looks like eucalyptus plantations would be a waste of time in the north.
I’m sure there are more but the Sitka is that fast growing I can’t find the last test plots I discovered 4-5 years back ! It also made me think walking back through that aspen, alder and birch are not far off the growth rate of Sitka in some patches and these are what I would choose over eucalyptus , they are far more fitting with our environment and climate.

Aye, It's too cold up here for Eucs to really get on. In a decade or so when it's a couple of degrees warmer, they'll stand more of a chance.

 

[Khriss]

2 minutes ago, Mark J said:

Aye, It's too cold up here for Eucs to really get on. In a decade or so when it's a couple of degrees warmer, they'll stand more of a chance.

 

I was walking through there  when Eskdale muir clocked minus 26 that night .. ON the snow, hardly marked it. Maybe a bit warmer before Eucs take, but it could happen.  K

[The avantgardener]

5 minutes ago, Mark J said:

Aye, It's too cold up here for Eucs to really get on. In a decade or so when it's a couple of degrees warmer, they'll stand more of a chance.

 

There are many types of Eucalyptus suited cold temperatures, they are amazingly thirsty and will tolerate wet conditions.

[Mark J]

27 minutes ago, The avantgardener said:

There are many types of Eucalyptus suited cold temperatures, they are amazingly thirsty and will tolerate wet conditions.

That's good to know.

 

[AHPP]

From memory, I think glaucescens and dalrympleana are the two cold-hardiest of the fast growers and then there are some small ones even hardier. J will know.

 

 

[Stere]

Wonder if it was frost damage that caused then to resprout with multistems like they have being coppiced?

[MattyF]

Wonder if it was frost damage that caused then to resprout with multistems like they have being coppiced?

Almost with out a doubt.

[Big J]

2 hours ago, AHPP said:

From memory, I think glaucescens and dalrympleana are the two cold-hardiest of the fast growers and then there are some small ones even hardier. J will know.

 

 

Yep. As far as I'm aware, it's mostly glaucescens that is being planted up north. There are plantations springing up around Scotland too.

[Big J]

On 23/12/2020 at 18:45, devon TWiG said:

 where in Devon is your woods ?   I have a few acres near Ashburton ......

I'd forgotten that you were there. I'm working at Ausewell Woods and Hembury Woods after Christmas. 

[Big J]

On 23/12/2020 at 17:42, Paul in the woods said:

Thanks for the offer and I would love to see some one day. I have intended to plant some Eucs before you mentioned Nitens so don't need convincing.

 

The site might be less than ideal so if I do plant it up it may be of interest to you and the nursery to see how it does. Have you posted up their details at all or can you PM me them please?

 

And AHPP, this would all be done with my own money purely for their practical use. I could see similar people to me (smallholders) being interested in them as well.

 

On that note, does Nitens have any other uses? Is the wood rot resistant at all for example?

The saplings are being sold through Bryan Elliot at Eucalyptus Renewables. We work with him a lot. 

 

I don't think that it's especially rot resistant, but it's a really good fuel wood. 

 

Happy to show you the euc plantation whenever - I love walking around there. It's forestry on steroids