How To Plant A Coppicing Forest At Zero Cost Using Tree Cuttings

A coppicing forest is being established on Gubb Farm to provide woodchip to develop fungi growth around the hazelnut trees. The goal is to plant the coppicing forest from tree cuttings and the video talks about tree varieties that can be used to propagate trees this way and the growing conditions that they are best suited to. The planting plan is also discussed, including how to space the tree rows to allow for machine access when coppicing the forest.
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[@liam314]

Alder (Alnus glutinosa) would also work there, it can tolerate waterlogged conditions, propagates from hardwood cuttings, grows rapidly, coppices well and fixes nitrogen, thus reducing the need for fertilizer. It would also add biodiversity to that monoculture. They are almost certainly growing nearby. As for what cuttings work best, for all hardwood cuttings you should use straight cuttings of 1-3 year old growth, 30cm-200cm long and remove all side branches so that it is just a straight stick with some intact buds. Just remember to plant them the right way up with the buds pointing up.

[@GubbFarm]

That is another good comment Liam. I did some research and it looks like Alder is part of the birch family, therefore it should grow well on Gubb Farm. I'm going to search my local hedgerows to see if I can find any Alder for the next phase of planting in the coppicing forest. Thanks Liam.

[@liam314]

@@GubbFarm Yea your options are very limited at Sir Floods a Lot. However if you are feeling a bit more adventurous, an interesting option is to plant some Swamp cypress (Taxodium distichum). This is a very interesting deciduous conifer that actually coppices well. It grows at a fast rate, produces rot resistant timber and is perfectly at home in waterlogged soils. Yet another interesting experiment would be to plant some of the more common Western Red Cedar (Thuja plicata). This tree tolerates waterlogged soils, grows very fast in Ireland, produces extremely rot resistant timber, (great for fence posts and weed suppressing mulch) and although it does not coppice, you could stump culture it. I don't know if you are familiar with stump culture, but essentially it is coppicing for conifers. The only difference is that instead of cutting the tree back to ground level you leave a layer of living branches below the cut, called the "skirt". These branches keep the stump alive and the stump will send up new shoots in spring which can be harvested on rotation just like a coppice.

[@simonparkinson5454]

1st time looking interesting catching up on your progres might e en be getting close to a harvest in 23

[@GubbFarm]

2023 Harvest has come and gone. I will try and make time to take the camera with me this harvest in 2024.

[@peterellis4262]

Something I would be interested in seeing, and would recommend that you watch for, is the impact your plantings have on the seasonal flooding. A substantial volume of willow will transpire a substantial amount of water and potentially alter your hydrology. I know that in my situation I'm using willow extensively in an effort to lower our excessively high water table and improve the health of other trees in our forest.

[@GubbFarm]

Hello Peter. As I type this the coppicing forest is under about a 30 or 40cm of water. The water levels where I live are controlled by a hydroelectric dam in Ballyshannon, and gates in Enniskillen. I would fully agree that regenerating the soil through tree planting, improving grazing practices etc to remove compaction, improves the ability of the soil to drain / hold water. On that note I was at a presentation last week by Neils Corfield. At one point he took a pipe and hammered it a couple of inches into the ground, poured in some water and it just sat there, highlighting compaction issues with current farming techniques.

[@Bob1Mack]

Excited to see the new developments. Taking notes on the process. Good luck getting the trees. (And the grant!)

[@GubbFarm]

Thanks Bob. I have one outstanding question with DAERA regarding the grant and then I will know where I stand.

[@jonassas4383]

Great video

[@GubbFarm]

Thank you Jonas. I hope all is well.

[@anthonyslattery8469]

Nice video the willow will def take root.I am doing the same with elderberry just sticking it in the ground I'm told it will take.

[@GubbFarm]

That is very interesting and I would love to know how that works out for you Anthony. It would be good to see a before and after, so maybe you could record something on a phone and upload it to your KZbin channel? All the best.

[@mikanfarmer]

Elderberry will take almost anywhere not too wet, ......but cut off all excess twigs before you put it in the ground, don't overload the task of making roots for the poor old cutting !

[@GubbFarm]

@@mikanfarmer I'm now thinking that I should have been more aggressive in pruning the cuttings. It will be interesting to see which ones take.

[@anthonyslattery8469]

@@mikanfarmer yep I just left a couple of buds at the top of the cutting and that's it.I believe you dont even need buds below the ground for elderberry.

[@user-hu9ci2iy8h]

I have sold over 100.000 of these and I can say that you should first cut them all or a batch, then plant 75-90% deep not 30% but this is very wet so most of it survived right?

[@GubbFarm]

Good to know. Thanks.

[@GubbFarm]

The following research is fascinating. Salix varieties contain salicylic acid, and when wood chipped and used to mulch trees, it increases a tree’s resistance to a multitude of pests and fungal, bacterial, and viral diseases. Up to 13 defense mechanisms are activated, causing the tree to thicken its leaves and produce phenolic acids, tannins, defensive enzymes, and antibodies. www.permaculture.co.uk/readers-solutions/how-willows-could-be-future-tree-health?fbclid=IwAR14f2fzC0db8BlIufzIG5hIqyS9lAqnh0li3s27DwB57tS_UhBVd1L-qIc

[@johnkeenlyside993]

I'm surrounded by ash trees in my small place in Leitrim, slowly dying and want to save one magnificent old tree. I've grown hundreds of willow originally to catch any overflow from my percolation area, and cut and spread the willow around the base of this tree. Next I'm going to add biochar and see if that helps. I also have one ash that appears to be resistant which I will try propagating from. Really I need a chipper to get the best health benefit from the willow for this venerable old ash. Good luck with your experiments!

[@GubbFarm]

@@johnkeenlyside993 that is very interesting. I wonder if any trials have been done to try and protect ash this way? I have some ash that appear to be disease free at this stage, so I might try this. As for the woodchipper I am also thinking of buying one. I currently hire one from HP Hire in Enniskillen as 6 inch wood chippers are expensive to buy.

[@j.patrickmalone4900]

De reir a cheile a thogtar na caisleain! There's a lot of excellent work there - I am curious to know if you've seen any results and if you've yet detected any differences?

[@GubbFarm]

Hello JP. I haven't been back to check yet. I have been flat out preparing and now planting the current batch of hazelnut trees. I will go back and check over the next month or two. It will be interesting to see how well they take, especially giving the flooding just after planting. As for that castle, it is not going to build itself.. better go and do another bit.

[@polki1482]

Any update on this planation how did it turn out for you

[@GubbFarm]

Rather pleasantly, the trees appear to be growing. I was walking through it last weekend and I think this year they will start to appear above the grass, so I will be able to take stock then. I will do an update over the summer.

[@jasonc9592]

Hi, I like your videos. What do you use the wood chips for?

[@GubbFarm]

Hello Jason I will primarily use the woodchip to develop a fungi rich environment around trees in the hazelnut orchard. The wood chip will attract saprophytic fungi, which in turn will break it down into organic matter for the mycorrhizal fungi in the soil. The mycorrhizal fungi will then provide the hazelnut trees with the nutrition they need in exchange for exudates from the tree roots. By creating a fungi rich environment around the trees, that will reduce weed pressure as weeds prefer bacteria rich environments. I talk a bit more about this in the following video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y4XCm55ta9B8q68 I have also recently learnt that Salix varieties help stimulate plant defences when they are mulched and applied around the base of trees. Lastly, I am also planning to use the wood chip to make compost for use around the trees and to grow vegetables, see: kzbin.info/www/bejne/pH-vlIyMjrZmrNE

[@jasonc9592]

@@GubbFarm thanks for that, very interesting answer. You appear to have a great drive and ambition for your projects. I wish you well in them. Keep posting the videos. They are great.

[@GubbFarm]

Thanks Jason

[@NicholasB79]

Were those 3 gunshots at 1:48? I mean, we hear that all the time here in the US, but I was surprised to hear it in Ireland.

[@GubbFarm]

Well spotted - yes there were gun shots. It most likely was hunters waiting for the duck flight at a nearby lake at sun set, typically with shot guns. There are more guns around now than during the troubles.. well legally held ones.. with a notable increase in rifles. The police weren't to keen on handing out rifle permits during the troubles, but even then most farmers had a shot gun. Gun ownership is tightly controlled, so if for example you get caught drink driving, the police will arrive at your house the next day to remove any weapons you own and revoke gun permits.