Tree planting cost - guidance please

[Marko]

I am considering getting around 10 acres planted up on a 3m grid this coming season. My thoughts are Silver Birch - Sycamore - Silver Birch - Alder in rows with a view to taking out the silver birch once the others get established. It would be grown for firewood logs and will be coppiced.

 

Plants will need to be 60cm and guards provided. I will do any ongoing maintenance so the guidance I need is on the ball park costs of getting someone in to plant it up.

 

Any other comments and suggestions would of course also be welcome.

[Goaty]

All depends on the terrain etc. If you say £1 a tree for all the labour, you should be safe. If you are getting silly cheap prices you probably get shove em in numpties who will only be interested in getting their wages. Off my head 10 acres is 4046 sq m times 10 = 40460 mtrs divide by 9 is 4495 trees. If you deduct the boundaries (varible on shape) I reckon 4000 trees should suffice.

[Jesse]

All depends on the terrain etc. If you say £1 a tree for all the labour, you should be safe. If you are getting silly cheap prices you probably get shove em in numpties who will only be interested in getting their wages. Off my head 10 acres is 4046 sq m times 10 = 40460 mtrs divide by 9 is 4495 trees. If you deduct the boundaries (varible on shape) I reckon 4000 trees should suffice.

 

Thats about there, plants about 50p then labour in all for that job on Goatys calculations I would of said more like 5k to 5.5k is the ground a bit wet then for that choice ? good mix for speed and growth if the ground is a little moist.

[Marko]

Thanks for the help. The land is grade 1 and drained but is not the best shape for the industrial scale that farming today demands.

[codlasher]

I used to work on £0.60p per tree professionally planted with the roots in the ground! This included the canes/stakes and either net or spiral guards. I used to work on 3' spacing but went to 1.8 as the costs became too great.

 

Some people thing this is too close but I say this will save on any future beating up, PROVIDING and this is all important; Weeding and guarding must be maintained for the next three years else you have wasted your investment/grant allocation! Chemical weeding really does work well.

 

Not forgetting ground preparation as I regard this as part of the job too with some great machines available to hire in. This also makes for quality planting and consequently better take-up of your stock.

codlasher

Edited July 4, 2013 by codlasher

[codlasher]

I can't edit my post so will say that the costs of £0.60p are for planting the young trees and guarding them.

 

I supplied the trees, guards and canes/stakes.

 

So this figure is for LABOUR only.

 

I also forgot to mention a nurse crop. This is another important consideration. I was lucky and the grant allowed planting of Douglas fir in this instance too.

Not 500 meters from this picture is a stand of some original Canadian imports dating from the 1890's. Fantastic trees!

With all the squirrels I wouldn't be surprised if these end up as the final crop:thumbup:

[Marko]

Thanks for the info. I have always sprayed around each plant each year until it achieves double the height if the surrounding grass. This seems to work well.

[Spruce Pirate]

£0.60 per tree planted, staked and tubed seems a bit on the cheap side to me; £1.00 per tree a wee bit on the high side. I'd say about £0.80-£0.85 per tree is about right, probably £0.80 if its good flat ground with good access. The last lot of 60-90 trees I got came in at £0.50 each, but I only got 300, I think the nurseries will normally do you a discount if you're ordering over 1000 (do plenty planting, but don't normally supply trees). Stakes were about £0.35-£0.50 each, dependant on size, last time I got some from the local sawmill, I think tubes were about £0.60 each last time I got some, but that's a while ago.

 

Ground prep can vary, you could simply leave it as is, plough it and roll it, mound it. I've planted some bits of good ground sown with reed canary grass - its hellish to weed, but if the trees are tubed at least you can find them and it does have the advantage that it keeps the other weeds out. Chemical ground prep is also an option.

 

What is the intended use of the woodland? If you've any ambitions of producing anything other than scrub I would increase the planting density a good bit.

[fatharrywhite]

Assuming that you're getting a grant for this the Forestry Commission look for a density of around 2,500 per hectare so if you have 10 acres that's about 10,000 plants. You don't say where you are in the country but I could do the job for 60p a tree- can supply references by pm if you're interested.

[codlasher]

Assuming that you're getting a grant for this the Forestry Commission look for a density of around 2,500 per hectare so if you have 10 acres that's about 10,000 plants. You don't say where you are in the country but I could do the job for 60p a tree- can supply references by pm if you're interested.

 

IF I was planning to plant this November I would be getting a guarantee from Fiberweb that they would be able to supply all the guards/nets and canes/stakes on time on the day required. I'd also be speaking to the Nurserymen/women about delivery of the young stock and getting a feel for the timing of their uplift. I'd have a word with the local farmer to ask for his help and his loader lifting the stack of stakes off near to where the bundles of guards will be placed.

I would also be preparing the site in the next two months, preferably before the pheasumps get out of their pens. along with letting the keepers know my plans.

 

I'd then check out your references and have a site meeting to discuss the plan and mixture etc. Plus discussing if you would like to stay in the yard where there are washing facilities and introduce you to the landlord of the local pub!

But, unfortunately I'm not doing that right now so will hope those who are will!

codlasher