Coppicing Hazel

[johnty greentoes]

Coppiced hazel used to be one of the staples of the British rural way of life. It provided protein and carbs throughout the winter via its nuts (sometimes cobs, although I don't know why; do you?) and invaluable wood from its rods. The rods are the shoots that power their way up from a coppiced tree stump in about 5 years.

Aside from the productivity of this beautiful plant, there are also benefits to wildlife and biodiversity. By harvesting from the tree it continues to thrive, providing food and shelted to invertebrates and birds. It also looks great. Big blobby leaves and delicate drooping yellow catkins

So why doesn't every allotment site have a communal coppice that will produce rods for use as fencing, brooms (besoms), markers, bean poles etc...? Why don't we fence with plants that will also produce for us (hazel, willow, sweet chestnut).

Our site has dozens of vacant plots, including the one next to me. I'm going to chat the Local Authority into letting me create a hazel coppice, complete with wild garlic, bluebells, wood anemones and the odd nightingale or two - just you see.

Will keep you all posted.

[Mrs Dobby]

Our site is surrounded around the 7' tall spiked fencing with brambles, elder and willow, so it is a tad useful, as the Elder flower and berries can be used for winemaking, the willow for poles and the brambles produce lots of blackberries, but some hazel would be lovely! Think I may have a chat with our council liason and suggest it! Nice idea johnty!

[rustylady]

So why doesn't every allotment site have a communal coppice that will produce rods for use as fencing, brooms (besoms), markers, bean poles etc...? Why don't we fence with plants that will also produce for us (hazel, willow, sweet chestnut).
[/QUOTE]

I totally agree with you. It seems madness to be flying cheap bamboo sticks around the world when we could be growing our own.

[nick the grief]

We have hazel on our site in the hedge thats being layeresd at the moment.

This site may interest you
http://www.allotmentforestry.com/index3.htm

[Hazel at the Hill]

We have hazel on our site in the hedge thats being layered at the moment.

I can't keep a straight face here!

[rustylady]

I can't keep a straight face here!

Layered, Hazel, not laid!

[nick the grief]

Thats why I typed what I did - I may look like a cabbage but I'm not that green

[Hazel at the Hill]

Nice to see you watching your p's and q's, NTG!

[johnty greentoes]

NTG

Thanks for the link - brilliant idea. I'll add it to my blog site's links list.

[johnty greentoes]

Have spoken to other allotment holder in Hull who says Friends of the Earth run 10 plots as a hazel coppice - so I am hopeful for one of my own.

[SarzWix]

That's a good idea Johnty, I hate the thought of good land not producing something!
I'm hoping, if i ever get this plot fit to plant anything in, to plant an edible hedge as one of the boundaries. All of the plots on our site are fenced off from each other, usually with a messy mixture of pallets, wire, corrugated tin etc. which look a real mess. Young hedging plants are quite cheap at this time of year, so it would probably work out a bit cheaper than good quality fencing, and you get to eat it/ use it later. I was thinking of blackthorn, hazel & elder, perhaps? Anyone got any other ideas for edible hedging?

Sarah

[Two_Sheds]

I'm hoping to plant an edible hedge as one of the boundaries. All of the plots on our site are fenced ... usually with a messy mixture of pallets, wire, corrugated tin etc. which look a real mess. Young hedging plants are quite cheap at this time of year

Totally agree with you. Ours have corrugated tin which annoys the neighbours no end in a storm.
I think allotments usually ban any form of hedging (even edible) for various reasons: tall hedges will cast shade on neighbouring plots; live hedges take water & nutrients from crops; they may invade neighbouring plots; and so on. Some sites ban anything not annual - so no fruit bushes even. I have to say, I have snuck some willow in which I coppice to make obeslisks, and I've just bought some Cornus for the same

[SarzWix]

The rules for the site I'm on don't seem to ban anything except 'new livestock' (wonder if that means I can have 'old' livestock ?!), and uncontained bonfires! But I'm quite lucky that 1 boundary is a dry stone wall, with a ditch on the other side & the school field, and the opposite boundary is next to the path. I was thinking of planting the hedge alongside the path, then the roots shouldn't upset anyone. Further up the site some of the plots still have the original hawthorn hedges, and they seem to be a great windbreak as well as good for wildlife etc. Not very edible though!

Sarah

[nick the grief]

Strictly speaking Trees aren't allowed on our site but as the Hon Sec, I'm going to put 5 in. Don't tell anyone

[johnty greentoes]

sarzwix

you obviously didn't see Ray Mear latest TV series where he was adding hawthorn blossom to salads and using the berries - amazing.

It seems that almost everything is edible if prepared in the right way.