spandit

Cut the fence either side with something and then get a friend with a knackered chainsaw to remove the stump, unless you can cut underneath the fenceline? Actually, once the fence is cut, could you try splitting the stump or putting a barrel over it and burning it out?

OK, I'll do that but I'll probably put another post on here which is a bit more obvious

There was something like this on an AWDC play day at Bordon a couple of years ago. In the middle of the site there was a small lake (that for most of the day had a V8 Disco immobile in it). I got the Pinzgauer through, but not comfortably. This thing didn't even get the hubcaps wet...

Reading on here there are some people who pay to tip their chips, some who get paid for it and some who give it away for free. I could do with a few tonnes of mulch, is this the kind of thing that I could get for free (East Sussex?) I'm aware that it needs to be composted for a while before use, by the way

For the £2 or so per tree, I'm prepared to take the risk if it dies following coppicing. Should at least nitrogenate the soil for other species and hopefully dry it up a bit. I agree, more trees everywhere!

All good advice and most of it too late as have already ordered tubes/spirals. The matting cost me about £150 - don't know how that compares to spraying 1500 trees several times with glyphosate. Ring fencing not really an option as I've already identified 12 different sites where the trees will be planted. The entire perimeter is about half a mile, I think. The spaniels and the .22LR will keep the rabbits at bay and I have a friend who would jump at the chance to shoot deer if they appear, which in East Sussex is more than likely. I'm told the soil is pretty fertile. The rushes seem to like it anyway! When I say we're on sand, it's an extremely fine sand that holds the moisture quite well. It's covered by a good few inches of sticky sod anyway

That's why I'm planting such a high proportion!

From What is coppicing? | coppice.co.uk "...For example, common alder coppices poorly..." From http://www.forestryjournal.co.uk/newsitefiles/2010/0410/Coppicing.pdf "...a relatively few species like common alder which strongly coppice..." In fairness, the first link is the only one that said it wasn't suitable for coppicing but with a domain name like that, you'd expect it to be an authority...

As I said, not a million miles away - between RTW and Eastbourne

Well aware of the need to plant the smaller shrubs on the outside and I take your point about evergreens. As mentioned, we have a lot of holly around the edges and there are large clumps of rushes to harbour other wildlife (woodcock, for example). I'm planning on trying to establish some heather too and hopefully my pond will attract more wildlife once I stock it with plants (already seen frogs in there!) I still don't want to use glyphosate - I've read arguments both ways but it doesn't gel with my conscience. Don't get me wrong, I'm not a yurt dwelling hippy (no offence to those who are although kudos for having an Internet connection) but one wonders how any trees manage to grow without human intervention? I've got some oak seedlings well essblished in the sward (?) and my philosophy is that the trees that survive will be all the stronger for it I'll be asking for thinning/coppicing advice on here before too long, don't you worry!

Love the foliage on those red oaks. Will add those to the list for next year...

Here's a photo of part of the site: The mess towards the top is a pond I'm digging out as there is a spring there. Currently puts out about 3,000 gallons a day. There's a drain at the bottom so I can just dump the lot downhill, which is very satisfying. It fills up in a few hours. Once I've finished digging it, by hand, I'll plant some willow revetments to stabilise it. The woodland will have a ride/path up to the pond and I'm planning on creating a seating area up there to enjoy the view, if we ever get a day where it isn't raining! There are plenty of willow sticks stuck into the ground, a couple of buckets full (400?) so should have a good source of withies in years to come. The timber in the foreground of the second picture are a couple of barrel staves that belonged to a barrel that was placed over the spring in the 40's. I dug them up when I was excavating the pond (there's a book written about our house/land that mentioned the spring but it had been covered over some time ago and was just saturating the land and making it boggy). At time of writing, the water has nowhere to go when it over flows but the white line you can see marks out a future pipeline that will take it down to the ditch.

It's probably going to be a while before I have any suitable for hammocking - considering sinking some big posts in at the right spacing so I can enjoy them a bit sooner!

That's my plan. Some of the trees I'm planting are for my grandchildren - seeing as my daughter is only 4, they should be of a good size by then!

I'm hoping that once they're established a bit of neglect won't matter too much - hoping to coppice a certain amount but I work full time so not expecting a bodger's paradise

I agree with the native argument, to an extent, but the Woodland Trust don't grant for anything else. I've bought a few hundred spirals in addition to what they're supplying so can plant some differing species next year. As I think I mentioned, I'm a bit confused that they offer sweet chestnut, which isn't native, but don't offer some others. Very tempted to order a load of robinia etc. but think I'll get this batch in first!

I've exchanged the whitebeam for more alder and aspen but can always try and get some more next year I have some help. I planted a bareroot hedge of about 100 whips in a morning, with membrane, canes and spirals. I know it's a bit later than desired but couldn't afford it without the grant and they took their time. Slit planting is quick and the membrane can wait for a few days. 175 of the plants will be hedged which is fairly quick to do. I take your point about the glyphosate but we'd like to look into organic status if we grow any produce to sell and despite all the good stuff about it, I don't like the thought of spraying chemicals onto my land (and I know putting plastic mats down is hardly environmentally sound but I've made my choice) Nope, English. Sessile prefers better drained soils, I read. We have pedunculate oak around the place anyway and I won't be relying on those for fuel. What makes you recommend sessile, out of interest? The MOREwoods scheme only offers natives. I agree, sycamore sounds ideal for what I want and I'll probably put some in next year to replace the inevitable die offs. I'd also like robinia and ash, neither of which were offered. Italian alder wasn't an option either. We have plenty of holly already in the hedgerows. Hadn't considered larch, don't think it was offered. Thanks! There are some great species to consider for next year. We have a woodland next door and plenty of mature trees around the property so birds aren't short of places to nest. I'm thinking of putting up some posts in due course, with boxes on. Again, laurel and leylandii weren't offered and I wouldn't plant the latter anyway as I don't find it attractive. Have plenty to cut down anyway that will provide decent logs after some good seasoning

We're not 1,000,000 miles away from the Ashdown Forest but further than 7km My neighbour's wood has quite a lot of rhodie in it which implies acidity. Around our boundary we have oak, beech, holly, willow, hawthorn, gorse, birch, ash (1!), sweet chestnut (1!), hornbeam (1!), privet, elder, Scots pine, leylandii*, apple and pear. I think there's a sycamore in the hedge too. Sounds idyllic when I list them like that! I'll see what happens. If they change them, then all well and good, otherwise we'll just see what will happen * doomed

Not sure why I didn't select rowan - it was an option. I've asked them if they'll substitute but might be too late to change order now. Not sure whether to try to treat the soil with ash or lime where I plant the whitebeam or just see whether it copes...

Easy to say, not so easy to organise. I'm going to hire a self propelled mower and give that a go. The brambles aren't that thick at the moment so if I can get it up into the field, it shouldn't be a problem. Bit worried that some of the species I've ordered won't tolerate our soil - should have tested it before but a neighbour tells me it's acidic, which rules out the whitebeam and field maple. Tempted to increase the alder and aspen numbers instead. It's a pity they don't offer robinia or poplar as they grow fast and burn well (especially the former)

Hang them, I'll plant them anyway.

Helicopter ploughing sounds like fun

As mentioned in another thread, I'm looking at planting some blackthorn hedging but various people have brought up the fact that it will send out suckers. This isn't a problem on my side of the fence but would the neighbours the other side have any legal right to complain? It's about 50 yards from their house and against a fairly rough piece of grass but we're not on the best of terms Should I bury a barrier into the ground to stop them suckering?

I would have thought the top has already died so by cutting it off, you're not harming anything - if willow is anywhere near as potent as I'm led to believe, then it will just resprout. I got bored with pruning my neighbour's willow tree so cut it to a small stump with the chainsaw. In one year the shoots were up to 4m long and an inch thick! I've planted a few hundred cuttings on my land as it's good for weaving (osier)

When it spreads further than 15m I'll start worrying - I'll be too drunk on sloe gin by then to care anyway. Out of interest, can one dig the suckers up and plant them elsewhere? If I plant them the other side of a ditch then it becomes next door's problem