Planting for a Sweet Chestnut coppice - any tips?

[SteveA]

We're going to be planting about 300 Sweet Chestnut transplants & whips as a coppice.

What kind of spacing should we be planting them at?

 

Other top tips also appreciated....

cheers, steve

[Goaty]

Fencing posts I assume ?

Was discussing this on another forum at the weekend.

I was curious and round here there is no plantations. It seems to be a down South thing.

I would imagine no closer than 2m. Is it worth having an early crop planted every other plant.

Birch or alder for firewood, they tend not to regenerate.

I am speculating, I have no real real experience in this.

[SteveA]

Fencing posts I assume ?

Was discussing this on another forum at the weekend.

I was curious and round here there is no plantations. It seems to be a down South thing.

I would imagine no closer than 2m. Is it worth having an early crop planted every other plant.

Birch or alder for firewood, they tend not to regenerate.

I am speculating, I have no real real experience in this.

 

Yep, for fencing posts, gates, hurdles, bean poles, etc.... that kind of thing, not particularly big stuff. Although we could leave some to grow big, just for the hell of it.

 

I read somewhere that said 7m apart (sounds like a large distance to me).... is 2m too close? I dunno?! hmmm

cheers, steve

[gooseflight]

They don't do well in a cold, damp climate or on poor drainage.

[Goaty]

Acid soil I think they like.

 

Seldom set nuts round here, but if it gets warmer they may!

[SteveA]

They don't do well in a cold, damp climate or on poor drainage.

 

South facing slope.... damp climate.... errr, where isn't damp?!

Today I noticed a section of the field is particularly more squishy than the rest so think I might try to drain that area a bit.

Good call.

cheers, Steve

[SteveA]

Acid soil I think they like.

 

Seldom set nuts round here, but if it gets warmer they may!

 

We have acid soil.

cheers, steve

[7610]

I do ours 4-5m apart minimum.

[Marko]

Sheltered, well drained soils are my understanding - we struggle to grow Sweet Chestnut because of the high levels of wind and rainfall we 'enjoy' in West Lancs.

 

All our coppice is at 2m to encourage tall upright poles rather than bushing.

 

Found this:

 

Site requirements

The species is suited to warmer, more continental parts of Britain (i.e. <1500 mm rainfall per year) on medium to poor soils of fresh or slightly dry moisture status. It is not suited to alkaline or waterlogged soils. Acid sandy loams are an ideal soil type for this species which although cold hardy, is not tolerant of exposure."

 

Sweet chestnut (SC) - Tree species and provenance (Forest Research)

[Gary Prentice]

I've struggled to source sweet chestnut these past couple of years. I think movement is restricted due to a pathogen in Europe. I'm not sure about UK grown stock, but they may be getting scarce.