Growing firewood

[Dan Curtis]

What kind of diameter are you talking? Would love to see some pictures...

 

Sounds good! Any pictures, as Spandit said?

 

I'll get out and get some this afternoon as long as it's not raining

[wrsni]

The Cherry is yielding the most timber,

 

I take it the oaks are about half the size of everything else?

[wrsni]

Would love to see some pictures...

 

Sounds good! Any pictures, as Spandit said?

 

.............and me!

[woodyguy]

I grew a small viminalis plantation for about 15 years before having to grub it out for something else. The growth was always 14-15 feet and between 1-2 inches thick. I've recently replanted with some more modern hybrids which should do better. Also using a couple of poplar hybrids that grow scary fast.

[spandit]

Does poplar coppice well? I'd like to put some in. Any pictures?

[woodyguy]

If you are growing logs rather than chip for power stations then its better than willow with a similar dry mass per acre. I put in 100 x 1.5m cuttings last year into a very difficult old farm tip area. most have grown 1-2m this season. They will be coppiced next year. Important to get the right variety and if planting lots to use several varieties and not plant near larch.

[spandit]

That's worth bearing in mind, thank you. What's the problem with larch? Rust?

[woodyguy]

Yes the rust has two parts to its lifecycle. One on larch and one on poplar. So not a good combination planting.

[spandit]

Yes the rust has two parts to its lifecycle. One on larch and one on poplar. So not a good combination planting.

 

No larch nearby anyway, that I know of. Not something I've planted anyway.

[Marko]

Our salix viminalis (common osier) grew 14' in 8 months (in a tight plantation) so maybe that's the species you have?

 

Just planted some salix triandra but it's for basket weaving so lots of thin stems will be beneficial - I hope it's vigorous anyway.

 

Wish I'd planted some eucalyptus now - we have one in the garden that I'm keeping an eye on as it's quite close to the house and I imagine it's the kind of thing that will do well in a warmer climate.

 

Love the picture of the chickens in the ash - how old are the trees in that photo? We weren't allowed to order ash when I planted my woodland (through the woodland trust) but I have a few seedlings my neighbours provided and there are one or two in the hedgerows anyway.

 

Cherry is doing very well too - will be interesting to see how it compares with the alder. Out of all the trees I planted, I think the tallest after one year was a crab apple, at about 8' (not including the osier) but that's fairly unusual compared to the rest that went in. The aspen has surprised me by not really doing very well at all, despite being a pioneer species. The whips I were sent were tiny, though, so maybe they'll accelerate this year.

 

Like a saddo I have all my trees in a database so I can see quickly what proportions I have and in what areas. Keeps me amused anyway

 

Ash trees in the photo are about 8 years old. We also have some triandra for basket making. The stools are about 6 years old and the whips get better evey year as it all thickens up. The alder planted at the same time (to mark the end of each variety of the willow) was harvested this year for logs. Not much volume but at 10" dia they have been the best perfomers to date.

 

We have just germinated some cherry from seed to plant this year along with more alder, syc and an additional variety of Euc.

 

I wish I had a database, or even recorded stuff with a pen and paper!