Growing firewood

[Marko]

Impressive growth on the willow. How long until you can harvest again do you think? And how thick are the eucalyptus stems / when might they be harvestable for logs?

 

Thanks for the update.

 

The willow would normally be harvested next year for biomass (3 years of growth) but I wanted to leave it to grow for longer to establish:

 

1) the optimum cycle for producing stems for going through the wood chunker (suspect it will be 3 or 4 years) and

2) the time for the stems to produce round logs as per the claims on the websites of those selling cuttings

 

The eucalyptus is about 1"-2" but has only really had 1 full growing season. The test here is to see how well it coppices. I've heard mixed reports so wanted to find out for myself.

[sandspider]

Thanks. Be interested to see how long it takes to get branch logger sizes trunks vs log sized trunks.

[Typhke]

Interesting thread, this is for sure something I also want to do in the future!

[spandit]

Also impressive. What variety is that? And how long till you can cut it again / what size will it be?

 

It's common osier, salix viminalis. It should be that size again by about September when I'll cut it again to propagate elsewhere. It's ideal for building willow structures as the whips are about 12' long

[slack ma girdle]

This hybrid Poplar was planted in 1991, and currently has a timber height of 23m, an average diameter of 28cm dbh, and an average volume of. 61 m3 per tree.

Sorry you will have to turn your head sideways, as my phone is misbehaving.

[smokeygaz]

This is a great thread gents. Makes interesting reading. What would you guys recommend planting on a 0.5 acre site with heavy clay. Looking at planting mainly for firewood but also for habitat and interest/colour.

[Aunt Maud]

This is our Birch coppice of 1 hectare which has been planted on an area where peat has been dug over hundreds of years. It makes for exciting felling as further in the area is covered by a raft of floating moss, so conditions have to be right to get in there otherwise swimming is a real possibility.

 

I get a pocket money grant of £50.00 per year to keep it as a coppice, as it's a very rare form of forest management in Denmark. Most remaining coppices were grubbed up and planted with softwoods after WW2.

 

I've another couple of acres that I'm just about to plant as mixed coppice with standards with Beech, Birch, Oak and Hazel. The Oak and Beech I've raised from seed and I'll take some Downy Birch from the other coppice once the ground thaws out.

[sandspider]

How long since that birch was planted / last coppiced, AM? Hope to be able to do something like that soon.

 

Looks good.

[sandspider]

Any update here Marko?

 

I got an email saying there was one, but can't see anything new...

[hplp]

Hi There,

 

I was just wondering what your thoughts are on the different Euc species. Was it just Omeo that you tried and where did you get the seed from?

 

Im just looking at planting up a small area of my forest for firewood production.

 

Thanks,

 

Hugh