suggestions on type of tree to plant

[slack ma girdle]

Alder Alder Alder Alder Alder.

Fast growth, straight trunks, splits easy, seasons quickly, and burns well.

 

There an be only one !

[Xerxses]

Alder is always good to mix with other woods to avoid sintering. Depending on your stove the process of sintering can ruin your stove.

[Stereo]

I would go for Alder. Get it coppicing well and it's a very easy crop to manage and harvest. Very nice to split as mentioned and dries out quickly for the fire.

 

Once you have established the land with Alder, you should find that you can start to put in some Ash as a longer term crop which will thrive once Alder has worked it's magic with the soil.

 

Also, I rate Sycamore, purely as a fuel. It grows like weeds around here and coppices well. I know it's not politically correct these days but it's a great firewood.

 

You could also try some crazy hybrid willows if you want to start harvesting in 3-4 years time. I've got one in my garden. It came free with a cherry tree and we didn't even know what it was. Stuck it in the soil 3 years ago and it's now 6 meters tall and must be 6" across at the base. It's coming down this year for firewood as it's out of control. Hopefuly in another 3 years we'll have the same problem with it.

 

Good luck.

[Stereo]

Xerxses, that's one reason why I can't understand the fixation with hardwood in the UK. Well dried softwood mixed in will mitigate much of the problem of not quite properly seasoned hardwood by keeping the fire hot. It's not the right answer but we need to accept that there are loads of people out there burning unseasoned hardwood.

 

So many people sit there with a load of 40% oak smouldering away for hours. Or overnighting with a huge damp old lump of god knows what. They think it's great that they have a log left in the morning which breaks apart into hot embers, ready to start the day. Just look up the chimney though.

 

Better to set in a good fire if you are going to overnight. Get it raging very well before you close it down. A few planks of offcuts or pallet will keep the temps up. Better to have it burn well for 3 hours and then have to re-light in the morning.

[will2020]

Alder it is then, can any members from Northern Ireland suggest a supplier?

[MikeTM150]

as a tight farmer i burn anything i find or get offered, long as its well seasoned!!!! softwoods as good as hardwood, agreed u chuck more on but it gives off more heat! Have been known to wear shorts and t-shirt infront the woodburner only to go to bed with ice on the inside of the bedroom window!!!

[djbobbins]

I would recommend alder as firewood, although as has already been said it's light once seasoned so you will get through a lot of volume of it.

 

I'd also suggest trying a few eucalyptus, I know it's not native but if you can get it to grow, the wood is good for burning (once seasoned) and you may get a quick yield dependent on species:

 

Prima Bio - eucalyptus specialists - promoting new uses for eucalypts

 

(That all being said, it is a pig to split though!!)

[agg221]

Unless you're going all out for a monoculture crop, I'd be inclined to mix in some birch - obviously won't coppice, but gives you some standards which you can take out as thinnings, or leave in at first coppice of the alder to get a bit more weight on them, and hazel - particularly at the edges, as it coppices well and seems to cope OK with having its feet wet.

[McMichael]

Alder it is then, can any members from Northern Ireland suggest a supplier?

Not sure about suppliers but it may be worth checking if you qualify for the grant previously provided by the Forestry Service of Northern Ireland for new woodland creation. Im sure they could also provide suppliers names and give advice with the legal side of woodland creation.

[NI Tree]

were abouts are you