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[Closed] I got wood

Stoner · 2011-12-31T10:26:34Z

Well, more like spindly little sticks. But there's 500 of them... I mentioned in a log burner thread about planting up my own Willow coppice supply of wood. And here it is: [img250x [i]Salix Viminalis[/i] - fast massing, producing 2m straight growth a year in 10-15 rods. alternate rows with 250x [i] Salix Viminalis x Triandra - Q83 hybrid[/i] which has a bit more curve to the stem but masses even quicker and provides a bit more screening. Based on research done by Defra and the FC producing the Short Rotation Coppicing yield maps here:http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/Images/wm-src-yield-250-a_tcm6-4889.pdf I should yield between 8 and 12 oven dry tonnes a year per hectare. That assumes a planting density of 10,000 whips per hectare (which is 10,000m2) so that's one whip per 1m2. Ive actually planted mine a bit denser than that, but since I have planted 500 whips, taking up about 400 sqm, then in theory I should be able to yield half a tonne+ year dry weight. Doesnt sound like a lot but it's probably worth about £100-150 of firewood bought locally. Got the whips locally from Tim @for about £400 including the rabbit protectors. Loads of helpful info. Planting is as simple as making a 12" hole in the ground (clay for us here, a Keuper Marl) and pushing the 3' whip in. Heeling over the ground at the top of the hole to close up against the whip. Then on goes the rabbit protector. A mate of mine welded up a bit of rebar for me to make a dibber: [img[imgThe coppice provides screening as well as some bulky habitat as we had to take out the old briar hedge and there's little vegetation for birds on our land at the moment. Really want to encourage some more tits, finches and particularly wrens. The rest of the clear space will have some fruit trees and space for the boys to kick a ball around. First cut is this time next year to set the stool height at which the rods will grow from, then 3 years until first harvest. Will be harvesting in thirds every year.

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Shorty121

Posts: 0

Free Member

Looks like you could do with a better fencer 🙂

Posted : 08/03/2012 4:31 pm

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