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Coppice theory


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A quick question to the coppice experts out there. I fell an alder at the bottom of my garden about 4 years ago. The stump has coppiced well but only one of the shoots has really reached firewood size. I chopped this off today and got 4 nice 4' lengths of wood out of it. The rest of the shoots are smaller and not firewood size. I'm guessing as it was a big tree, it's had a bit of a shock and may take some time to settle down.

 

Should I remove all the growth now and let it all start again or is it ok to remove the big stuff on its own? I worry that another hard removal might be too much for it to handle.

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If the growth is too small for firewood it would do no harm to leave it for the time being if you've no use for it. Having said that, if the stool survived being coppiced after a long time theres no reason why it wouldnt survive a second cut a few years later (hazel is typically cut every 7 years), though I cant guarantee it:biggrin:.

Edited by Rob Stringer
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I'm just wondering whether selective removal of good size wood every year may gently bring it into long term coppice survival.

 

I have felled a lot of mature alder trees and so far had about 50% success rate with coppice. Some thrive and coppice immediately. Some just seem to die. The bonus with Alder is that it's really easy to cut a few shoots and stick it in the ground and hey presto, new tree.

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I'm just wondering whether selective removal of good size wood every year may gently bring it into long term coppice survival.

 

I have felled a lot of mature alder trees and so far had about 50% success rate with coppice. Some thrive and coppice immediately. Some just seem to die. The bonus with Alder is that it's really easy to cut a few shoots and stick it in the ground and hey presto, new tree.

 

I am no expert on Alder I'm afraid, but this goes along with what I have experienced with other trees. John Evelyn's family made their fortunes from charcoaling Alder in the 17th. century; this is what he says: "3. You may cut aquatic-trees every third or fourth year, and some more frequently, as I shall shew you hereafter. They should also be abated within half a foot of the principal head, to prevent the perishing of the main stock; and besides, to accelerate their [Pg 157] sprouting.

 

 

The Project Gutenberg eBook of Sylva, by John Evelyn.

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