NEEPS

Smooth Hound · Posted: Fri Apr 17, 2009 7:57 pm Post subject:

i think so

JoH · Posted: Fri Apr 17, 2009 9:14 pm Post subject:

The different colours he had were quite impressive. We used to get some of our trees from him for the estate and I always remember just being gobsmacked at how surreal some of them could be.

I'm doing a willow hedge about 50m at the moment. Quite excited

Maria · Posted: Fri Apr 17, 2009 9:29 pm Post subject:

JoH · Posted: Fri Apr 17, 2009 9:39 pm Post subject:

It would look rather like 50m of small sticks stuck in the ground at the moment I'm afraid

wildgarlic · Posted: Sat Apr 18, 2009 12:37 pm Post subject:

I think they gave it up a while back.
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Smooth Hound · Posted: Sat Apr 18, 2009 12:50 pm Post subject:

i think they will sell if you ask, but their not bothered any more,

something like that anyway

davyravy · Posted: Sun Sep 13, 2009 7:34 am Post subject: ..willow update

just realised its almost a year since i first posted on this subject - unbelievable. In the end I got 1 year old cuttings from Bob Davies and also some hedge cuttings from a local source near Turriff. Must admit - other than bunny fencing the plantation I did little more than throw them in the gound. Was not expecting the hedge cuttings to do anything much - but to my surprise they've actually grown much faster than the year old cuttings!

For next year I'm going to try and be good and actually do some weed control - bought loads of black plastic - and see what difference it actually makes. Will also throw in a few more varieties to minimise disease loss.

Am also thinking about other species - ash, poplar etc - anyone got any experience with these?

Our heating system is currenlty all oil but I'm hoping wood-chip boilers will be cheaper in 4 years time when our first coppiced wood is ready!

bracken · Posted: Sun Sep 13, 2009 8:59 am Post subject: ash

Hi Davyravy

we do all our heating and hot water with wood as a fuel.
Our cooker is an Esse woodburner and we have a charnwood stove in the lounge. We have oil as a back up but we haven't used it in two or three years now. All three are connected to the hot water/heating system via a dunslow neutraliser.
We are fortunate in that we are surrounded by our own sitka spruce plantation - although it isn't the woodburner's 1st first fuel choice we find it useable. The main thing is to dry it out completely before burning as it produces tar by the ton which isn't good for the flues!
If I were to start from scratch I would plant ash as it is one of the only woods that will burn 'green' - however it is fairly slow growing - especially this far North. We have some ash which was planted by a previous owner around 15 years ago and it isn't very substantial - you might get a camp fire with it!!
I personally wouldn't go for a wood pelleter as you still have to buy the stuff in - I prefer being able to forage for wood (pallets, fallen trees, etc) or buy (scrounge) joiners offcuts.
If you do go down the wood fuel way then be prepared for your home to be covered in a fine film of ash.........!!

davyravy · Posted: Sun Sep 13, 2009 9:57 am Post subject:

good to hear you can do everything with wood Bracken.

am in (more than) 2 minds as to best way to go with growing our own wood. have looked into the grants available but they barely cover the cost of hiring an agent needed to do the application for you if your plantation size is small.

so I think the answer is going to be trying a bit of everything - willow and poplar for speedy results with ash and other better burning woods for the long term.

we have a neutraliser installed in our system- but its waiting for me to get off the fence and decide on a chip burner (chipping our own), log burning boiler, or multifuel stove - might have made my mind up by the time our wood is ready!

Smooth Hound · Posted: Sun Sep 13, 2009 11:16 am Post subject:

you dont have to have an agent, but even though i would tend to work without the grants, but thats just me, all you really need to do, is to choose suitable trees for your land, sounds good what your choosing, hazel would be a good one too, might be nice to have a few pockets of shrubbery too, like a bit of buddlea, dog rose, elder etc, you will also need to establish what your problems will be , rabbits, deer , then you will be able to make a decision as to whether you fence or tube, or if you need to at all, if you need any advice, i would be happy to take a look.

as for agents though, it can be done without, just a bit of paperwork, and quite alot of waiting.