Hazel Coppice

[Headfry]

"sorry no idea where to post this, mods please move if needed"

I want to grow hazel trees on my plot....the idea being that I can coppice them!
I dont want to buy canes anymore. I would love to learn all I can, but where can I start....internet I guess

I would like a mix of trees, some for nuts others for the poles etc.
I would like to make my own hurdles, baskets etc ...

anyone else doing this?

[SlugLobber]

Hmmm, you might find it so much easier to just buy them, HF. Coppicing involves cutting down a tree to the stump and this produces new 'shoots' and the long cane-like branches that you get. Coppices are normally quite large areas of woodland, especially dedicated to the purpose, with the trees being coppiced on a rotational basis. Tis a LONG time since I did it, but I wouldn't have thought a garden-sized operation would be worthwhile!

What about joining your local conservation group? The Wildlife Trusts go out coppicing quite a bit and I imagine you'd be able to take home some of your spoils!

[Maf]

Not much to learn as far as the trees are concerned.

Chop em down and back they gro.

I have willow coming out of my ears :0

[scarey55]

I always use hazel branches as tomato stakes and bean poles. We were lucky enough to have a load of trees when we moved here and they do grow very straight branches. I did read somewhere though, that trees that have been cut down too much don't produce fruit. Not sure how true it is but we have a bumper crop of nuts this year.

Good idea about making baskets too, I hadn't thought of that.

[Hilary B]

Different species take different times to regrow, and need cutting at different heights. Willow is 'classic' for baskets, hazel more often for hurdles. Ash will do almost anything, but I believe it is slower than the others. As a minimum you would need one plant for each year of 'necessary regrowth', and I suspect 2 would be better. I think I read somewhere that ash needs 7 years between cuttings, so have you got room for up to 14 trees?

[Headfry]

I have room for about 10-12 trees.....
I only want sticks for me, and if I have a few spare- then for the other plot holders.
I need some wind breaks for the bee hives and thought maybe hazels would be a good 'crop'
Willows would grow to tall ( I think)
Just something different really - something that I can learn about too!

[lynda66]

i'm growing various thickness of bamboo for the same reasons, have some very thin, medium sized for stakes, and some giant to build structures in the garden, hopefully in a few years i'll have all i need as it seems to grow pretty quickly,don't need massive amounts of space per plant and i'm not stuck with huge trees at the end of it ...... i'd rather have fruit trees.

[Hilary B]

Willow only grows as tall as you let it<g> but I THINK the basket-types only grow well near water (or at least in decidedly wet ground). The advantage to growing hazel is the option of nuts. I have seen hazel 'bushes' 20 ft tall (but those had been left to their own devices for a long time).

[SlugLobber]

10 or 12 trees? Heck, I want your plot!

[tootles]

I have a hazel wood and want to coppice it too - if anyone has any info or instructions then please post!!!
The only bit about coppicing I have found out so far is that the base of a coppiced tree is called a stool.....

[Headfry]

found quite a lot by good old 'google'
going book hunting when next at Wisley.
Lucky tooles I wish I had a woods, I would just love that!

[Maf]

The BTCV do an excellent book on coppicing and woodland management. But reading it may prompt yu to sell your house and become a woodsman !

[andrewo]

Can you buy hazel sticks mail order for use as wigwams? If so, does anyone know where I can buy it? I made a wigwam from willow last year, using mature, dead wood for the uprights and greenwillow to weave between but these trees where recently pulled down near me to make room for housing. So, no more wood!

[PAULW]

HEADFRY
Are you talking about an allotment plot, if so does your lottie allow people to grow trees, if you allow them to grow for say 10 years you would have some substancial roots which may cause a problem, why not have a look around and see if you can find a bit of neglected coppice and have a word with the landowner about rejuvanating the hazel for free.