5thelement

Because he doesn’t know his arse from his elbow. 😂 What is it you want from the woodland, is it long term reward for your kids or habitat/wildlife creation etc? Site specifics like soil type, temperatures (high and low)and exposure to winds etc will all be a factor in planting choice. I have planted all kinds of small experimental blocks over the years, looking into the future proofing of forestry, with some very surprising results from the less obvious species.

I have previously had to clear fell a mixed block of Larch and Southern Beech, planted in the 70’s in East Sussex, due to PR. The Southern beech was looking fantastic at the time. Where is your location and any idea on soil type? I certainly wouldn’t be planting two tree types that are commonly known to be susceptible to PR.

Visited this very large Horsechestnut today as the customer wanted advice on managing/retaining the tree. Most Horsechestnut in my area, (including the two large ones in my own garden) are either showing early Autumn colours and dropping leaves, or are hammered with leaf miner, this one is almost untouched. The crown is in excellent shape apart from one main stem, there is historic metal cable bracing present. The rootplate tells a totally different story, numerous fruiting bodies of Ganoderma resinaceum, both old and new, some serious rot/decay in at least two of the buttress flares (possibly the cause/instigated by flail damage) and extending out along surface roots, and the start of a column developing. This tree is large and well within striking distance of the house. The customer would like to retain if possible, although the tree would have to be reduced by half to remove completely from the target. There are growth point to reduce to and I have seen sizeable reduced and pollard Horsechestnut here in SW France. I’ve never come across Ganoderma resinaceum on this host, If it where Oak, I would recommend a reduction and monitor, not sure how a diffuse porous timber like Horsechestnut will hold up to the Ganoderma in the long term though and felling may be the better solution. Thoughts ? #davidhumphries IMG_5441.mov

Looks like one of the many Horsechestnut cultivars, probably with sterile seeds. Look up Aesculus Indica for a starter. 👍

They cut it all year as it’s mostly making pailings for fencing.

This might have some logic if the experimental jabs didn’t need the dictionaries definition of ‘ Vaccine ’ to be changed in order to qualify. Pfizer patented a dual Covid19/Money Pox ‘vaccine’ in January 2021, a whole year before anyone had even heard if Money Pox. They have tried the Money Pox thing once already with that gay bloke looking all sad in his bed covered in sores, they forgot to mention his ravaged immune system was also due to advanced HIV infection and cocktail of medications he was on. It did the rounds and faded away, too much too soon after Covid I suspect, now it’s time for round two.

Money Pox is on its way to a Town near you right now, and the whole shit show will start all over again, do it for Granny, save the economy, f’ing pathetic. The cynic in me thinks the Swedish incident is a not so subtle nudge to put them in line after their sheer audacity in doing their own thing.

It’s almost as if the largest transfer of wealth in history, conducted under the guise of protecting us from Covid 19, never actually happened, unbelievable.

Why are there no Scottish Cities currently burning, are there not enough English racists living there? Better bus loads of fat gammons up over the border sharpish, loads of Greggs up there. 👍

I think you are confusing me with someone else, I barely commented on that thread because of the drivel that was being spouted, this one’s going the same way, well done. 👍

At least this thread is having a break from his tedious ramblings about Covid for a bit.

I would think that the double knife shredder will be easier to maintain/sharpen and balance than the three knife. I’ve always used the double without any issues so never bought/used a triple. The rigid shredder guard on my 555 is still sound after 10 years use.

Definitely Cherry.

Husqvarna 555rxt and 555fxt for tough stuff and woodland thinning. Husqvarna 535 and Stihl 460 for lighter stuff, I’ve more cord/head/blade types than you could possibly imagine.

But the engine is running for longer periods with the blade, using more fuel because the area is taking longer to complete.

Sounds like you’re using a machine with an underpowered engine for the cord/head you are running. I’ll walk one side of a ride with cord on my machine, you have a blade and see who gets to the end first. I’ll have a brew ready for you.

You will cover far more area quicker with cord than with a metal blade, with less exposure to vibration and less fuel. Stihl do a couple of heads that I have used for specific jobs, tuff grasses growing on flint at a nature reserve in Rye, metal blades created the risk of sparks/fire, this head had plastic blades that you replaced, think Stihl recalled it though, not sure if it is back on the market(Polycut Head) The other option is the Stihl Durocut head, it has really aggressive short strips that you replace as required, it smashes through bramble/bracken far quicker than a blade, just work around any tough regen/saplings, finish the largest area then hit the tuff stuff that you have left with the blade.

Had some Buxus to remove today. Thought it would be straightforward, 37 degrees and a long drag begged to differ, the largest was just short of 14”.

Rhododendron is the worst timber ever invented for putting in a chipper. It twists and turns in all directions so it is difficult to feed into the rollers, unless you have a big budget machine, it has soil pockets and soil/ stone attached to the layered shoots which wrecks the blades. It does make high grade firewood and charcoal, but again, its growth habit slows down the processing side.

I watched Bobs team @aspenarb strip out some pretty extensive Rhododendrons from a Larch plantation near Westerham a good few years back. Digger with rake and decent operator was slowly pulling up each main stem, the layered shoots being pulled out along with it, pushed up on the ride to be mulched into oblivion by a large HP tractor. The only stuff that needed chainsaw and spraying was growing close to retained trees. I went back there a couple of years later, very minimal regeneration.

I have one of these. Slow compared to some that I have used but the double speed ram is fast enough for my needs, 7 -10 tonne split depending on the model, nothing it hasn’t split yet, my burner takes 50cm logs and it splits them at that length all day long.

Yeah, the head on the AUS set is bahco, the Jameson one looks much more capable. I have an avenue of Maples to re-lollipop shortly and need the set primarily for this, and setting my climbing line high in dense conifer, Jameson also do a big shot attachment for their poles. I think I’ll go with the Jameson, thanks for the input guys.

I am in need of a decent extendable pole pruning set and have narrowed it down to these two. I am familiar with the AUS kit and this one has a Silky saw attachment, but I seem to remember the lopper was always a bit naff. Mr Bolam recommended the Jameson set, aluminium instead of fibreglass and not sure on the generic saw attachment but they look very well made. The price difference isn’t an issue, just want to get the set that performs best, anyone had experience with both brands, pros and cons?

UK