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spandit

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Everything posted by spandit

  1. spandit
    Thread hijack alert! I have some willows that were pollarded/topped previous but the regrowth is from all over. If I cut off the lower shoots will they eventually give up to give me a nice pollarded "lollipop" shape?
  2. spandit
    Well, I managed to plant 15 of them before I ran out of time. They were all pretty moist in the plastic bags and I've left them in it overnight. Hope it's not too cold but they should all be in the ground tomorrow - even managed to find some dry ground, which was a revelation...
  3. spandit
    Martin, Sorry to hear about your wife - you paint a fairly gritty picture of the realities of heating with wood and I hope I'm able to put the hours in to coppice when my trees are big enough. If they just grow unattended then at least I can feel I've done something positive.
  4. spandit
    Well, they've been in transit for a few days but the tracking info says they were quite close this morning so I expect they're coming today. Weather looks OK too, which makes a change as I normally end up planting in the rain
  5. spandit
    I own a petrol one, they're much better engineered than the diesel ones, which are made in Guilford
  6. spandit
    Some parts have been removed... including the engine and gearbox. Yeah, good luck in finding spares for those!
  7. spandit
    Not sure I need to soak them for an hour - the ground I'm planting them into is pretty damp! Sounds like they'll be OK, thanks
  8. spandit
    Funnily enough, I've had others tell me I've planted too close but I am aiming for a natural woodland rather than high density coppice. The hazel is about 1.5m spaced but most of the trees are about 3m apart. We've got about 10 acres but don't want it blanketed with trees (at least, the rest of the family don't - personally, I'd cover the lot!)
  9. spandit
    I'm hoping it won't come to that! Might look into some poplar as diversity will always help but planting 6000 is not going to happen any time soon!
  10. spandit
    Only 2 acres for self sufficiency? Maybe I'll have to get some. I estimate I've planted about 2 acres of my 10, maybe more. Difficult to tell, even from the aerial photography I had done. It's over 1,500 trees but not all of them fast growing but we have some leylandii coming down soon and I'm sure I'll be able to pick up more from somewhere. If things get really desperate I might even have to start buying wood
  11. spandit
    Ah, we have a builders bag of sand ready for another project - thanks!
  12. spandit
    Thanks. I think in these temperatures it's like leaving them in the fridge anyway!
  13. spandit
    I've just had an email saying my second tree order has been dispatched but I'm going away on business until Wednesday so won't be able to plant them. Should I try to get my wife to heel them in or are they likely to survive for a few days? I can get her to water the roots to stop them drying out but it depends on how they're packaged, I suppose
  14. spandit
    Doesn't surprise me too much either, if I'm honest. Just reading the hyperbole from sellers of hybrid willow and poplar SRC would make it seem that it's really quick. Funnily enough, I didn't order any willow or poplar when I planted my woodland, although the former would do well on my wet soil. I think it was because it's so easy to propagate I thought I'd be able to get it free (and have grown some osier from cuttings). Have some almond willow arriving imminently but that's more for basket weaving
  15. spandit
    I bought a mule but the head gasket went, the handbrake doesn't work, one of the tyres is flat and bald. Wish I'd spent a bit more on a better one as the applications I have for it are manifold... Hopefully once my woodland is grown I'll be able to afford a better one!
  16. spandit
    From what I can tell, only one or two people are actually burning wood they've planted themselves. Coppicing trees someone else planted isn't what I asked (admirable though it may be). I have willows that I can coppice but I didn't plant them myself.
  17. spandit
    Well, was done by lunch, pretty much. Of the 86 ordered, I actually received 90 (an extra one in each bundle!) and I've found space for them all
  18. spandit
    We could be self sufficient in food, plenty of space for that, but to have enough trees on a 5 year rotation would take more land than we have (or are willing to plant) I suspect. Fortunately, at the moment, we have a good (free!) log supplier and I'm always on the scrounge where I can be...
  19. spandit
    I don't really understand the logic behind this - surely we should be planting more ash rather than less, so there's more chance of a resistant one growing? I've only got a handful on my property and none of a decent size but there is the odd seedling coming up
  20. spandit
    I know the theory, just wondered who is actually doing it in practice, rather than harvesting wood planted by someone else? My hazel is only a year old but the chestnut I'm putting in is already older. I'm hoping along with the alder we should get a bit of firewood in years to come, although I haven't got enough space to be truly self sufficient
  21. spandit
    What kind of diameter is it? Trying to muster up the enthusiasm for going outside in the cold to plant some more trees...
  22. spandit
    Turns out I miscounted the number I planted, it was actually 34, so only 53 to plant tomorrow - easy! Out of those, only 34 are replacing dead trees so the remaining ones will be going into spirals - I'll be done by lunch!
  23. spandit
    Some good replies so far. I like burning willow. Don't have a huge amount in the log pile at the moment but at least it hasn't travelled far. Haven't planted a great deal of it, only some osier viminalis for sculptures and I've got some black maul (triandra) coming soon for weaving but don't really have the space for intensive hybrid willow growing. It's so wet on my land that only the alder is really thriving but it's only been one year so far. I'm hoping the stuff I've planted will allow wildlife to thrive, provide good screening to neighbouring properties and hopefully provide some nuts/fruit/logs in time to come. It was magical planting trees this afternoon with our local barn owl hunting nearby. Wasn't too keen on being chased by one of the dogs, though, but don't think she'd have a chance of catching it.
  24. spandit
    Thrilled for you but not really answering my question. What size is the hybrid willow after 5 years?
  25. spandit
    The woodland I have planted is, amongst other things, for providing a source of fuel in years to come. Just wondered if anyone is heating their home on wood from trees that they themselves planted? How long did it take?

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