Planning our next coppice

[Rich]

Hello All,

We are just thinking about which bit of the wood to coppice this year, we hope to make a start as soon as the leaves go. The main lesson learnt last year was not to start to late in the year, we really struggled to get it done before the nesting season.

Anyway, the next section we have earmarked is full of storm damaged chestnut from 87 plus what looks like discarded remains of timber from the last time it was cut. There's an old crane of some sort which obviously got stuck and abandoned, then it looks like whoever was coppicing just got fed up with it all and went off to the pub!

The whole area needs rejuvinating, it has a closed in canopy and many of the old stools have died so we will need to replant. We love the mature hornbeam we've got and there seems to be a lot of these self seeding throughout the wood. Anyone think it would be a good idea to transplant them to the freshly cut coppice, and if so what's the best way of going about this? Do we dig them up now and put them in pots for the winter? Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Cheers

Rich and Penny

[tracy]

Hi Rich, yes, we are also planning on starting as early as possible this year. We have a lot to cut! I hope someone can help with the transplant question...!

[pahoppy]

Hi Rich and Tracy,

I like to start coppicing preparation early. I find it helps to tidy the ride edges up towards the end of August and start making my vices and other useful devices.

We wealked around Ravenshill the other evening planning where to work this season and looking at the growth from thw past two seasons. These wet summers have certainly helped the new coppice grow.

It will soon be time to start cutting. I can't wait to be in the wood the autumn when the toadstools appear and the woodland has that amazing damp aroma.

All the best.

Phil

[wood troll]

hi Rich,

we planted bought hornbeam whips (30/40cm) last winter and found that they took very easily. They have a fine root system unlike oaks. I would recommend that you dig them up early autumn and put them in a nursery bed (we use a good sandy soil ). Then plant them out when you are ready for them in early winter - perhaps next winter if they are new seedlings. Bare rooted is better than pots. We've grown many trees from seed or lifted from their original germination site but had to buy hormbean as we could not get them to germinate.

Its good to have a nursery bed to keep all the seedlings, sapplings and layerings that you find. It can save you a huge amount of money!!!

good growing

wood troll

[RichardKing]

Hornbeam germinates fairly easily if you collect it while still green in October/November and sow immediately before it enters deep dormancy.

[Rich]

Thanks for the replys,

Yes it would be great to save money not buying in trees, but also isn't it much more satisfying to know that your wood is self perpetuating? As these trees are thriving here now, wouldn't they have more of a chance of doing well than bringing in a tree whose origins you are not quite so sure of?

We thought of planting hornbeam as after looking round Nicks wood at Knowlands last week, we noticed that hornbeam is quite tenacious and keen to get on with life, it's a great firewood and 20 years time, firewood could be a much more valuable commodity and also aren't these trees just beautiful? We have a mature stand to the west side of the wood which catches the light as the sun goes down in the most remarkable way.

Rich

[wood troll]

hi Richard

Just as a point of interest (or not!) our problem with the hornbeam germination was that although we know spring happens here 2 weeks earlier than the south of England we hadn't sussed what happens in autumn. This time we will try collecting seeds in 2 week October....

wood troll

[RichardKing]

I think that the main thing is to collect the seeds when they appear full, but before turn brown.

A few years ago I collected both Ash & Hornbeam seeds green on the same day in September & they germinated ok.

It may depend on the position of individual trees & how much sun they get. I have seen Ash seeds on some trees turn brown a month earlier than others.