what to plant for coppice?

[skyhuck]

ASH:thumbup:

[Crazy Cutter]

Non-native species don't rock my boat! We have made mistakes in the past and are now trying to put them right. Hazel is firewood size within 12 years and has other uses that the future may need again. Plastic isn't going to be with us for ever. Ash can be grown on two rotations within the same block, great firewood and has plenty of others uses as well. Sweet chestnut is very under valued good firewood and fine for wood burners. Its fencing use will return as grows fast as coppice and doesn't need treatment. I'm always on the look out for chestnut coppice just we don't have much in Norfolk!

[Daniël Bos]

Non-native species don't rock my boat! ...... I'm always on the look out for chestnut coppice just we don't have much in Norfolk!

 

Now there you have a nice contadiction.

Robinia coppices well, grows fast and produces better fence-posts then SC.

Eucs can grow fast and produce good firewood in little time.

 

There's countless argument for and against non natives, but that's an entirely different discussion.

[coppiceer]

What's your rabbit and deer situation? You won't get much coppice regrowth if its all being browsed away.

[woodworm]

i met a guy in cornwall who's family grow pretty much just eucalyptus and sell large amounts. not sure what species it was - you'll have to research.

 

Try John Purse at Prima bio (In Kent i think). He's been very helpful with us for Eucs and we are planting a trial block soon.

[Mattsnaturalrivers]

Now there you have a nice contadiction.

Robinia coppices well, grows fast and produces better fence-posts then SC.

Eucs can grow fast and produce good firewood in little time.

 

There's countless argument for and against non natives, but that's an entirely different discussion.

 

Depends what your using the posts for. How does Robinia stakes do in water, (chestnuts excellent and just gets harder), and is anyone producing them commercially and if so at what price would they go for?

[Daniël Bos]

We use them a lot in the Netherlands. The land of my youth is very very wet though I've never put up a fence in a lake. The robinia we've used I've never seen fail, ever. I've pulled up about a mile of fence from a recently (couple of years) flooded area (change of watertable for greenie purposes) and they were all rock-rock-hard, getting the staples out of them was hard work for all of them. I've even resorted to the angle grinder for some.

 

I heard somewhere that the Americans say: "It's as good as steel, but lasts longer"

It was first planted here in the UK to produce beams better than oak in quality in much less time. They found it's near impossible to get it to grow straight though, something not that relevant for firewood or posts.

 

 

 

Anyway, the thread is about coppice for firewood and I reckon you won't find a hotter burning wood growing in the UK. Add to that that it coppices well and presto, I thought it would fit the bill.

[Crazy Cutter]

Now there you have a nice contadiction.

Robinia coppices well, grows fast and produces better fence-posts then SC.

Eucs can grow fast and produce good firewood in little time.

 

There's countless argument for and against non natives, but that's an entirely different discussion.

 

I did that on purpose! Sweet Chestnut in some eyes is a native!

[MikeTM150]

wow, never thought this would generate so much discussion:thumbup:

 

from what i can make of what you lot are saying is, plant a bit of everything, cut it down when its ready and plonk it on the fire!!!

 

But i do have some serious concerns over deer, i like to think most end up in the wife's aga with a bed of red wine but in reality i'm sure there's some that like to nibble! Is deer fencing the only way of 100% keeping them out and will they always be a problem eating regrowth when i coppice it?

 

so syc/ash/robinia and some euc if i can find a suitable variety?

[Mattsnaturalrivers]

We use them a lot in the Netherlands. The land of my youth is very very wet though I've never put up a fence in a lake. The robinia we've used I've never seen fail, ever. I've pulled up about a mile of fence from a recently (couple of years) flooded area (change of watertable for greenie purposes) and they were all rock-rock-hard, getting the staples out of them was hard work for all of them. I've even resorted to the angle grinder for some.

 

I heard somewhere that the Americans say: "It's as good as steel, but lasts longer"

It was first planted here in the UK to produce beams better than oak in quality in much less time. They found it's near impossible to get it to grow straight though, something not that relevant for firewood or posts.

 

 

 

Anyway, the thread is about coppice for firewood and I reckon you won't find a hotter burning wood growing in the UK. Add to that that it coppices well and presto, I thought it would fit the bill.

 

Thanks for the info. Just interested in the potential for river restoration sounds like Robinia could be the future for works on wetlands, could be an extra market for the land owner as well as his supply of firewood.