Description
Reduce Your Carbon Footprint Reduce your Fuel Bills No Digging Required
Available from November 2022
Why Willows ?
The newer hybrid willows high yielding and very fast growing as well as being very durable, resilient and will grow very well in a wide range of soils and growing conditions including the more exposed locations.
Full sun is ideal however they will grow in partial shade but not under a canopy of existing larger trees.
Good weed control is esential in the first 2-3 years to enure the crop flourishes and becomes established. ( consider planting through membrane ).
Environmental Benifits ?
There are many encironmental positives in growing willow for firewood, its grows fast and produces large amounts of leaf which fall every year increasing the organic material in the soil. This encorages many micro organisms which in turn supports a wide range of insects which again in turn encorages small animals and birds into the copse.
On a warm sunny day in summer our copses are positively humming with the insect life. Some of the willows also have early catkins providing a much needed boost for the bees in the early spring.
Coppice ?
All our willows are grown as coppice which means the crop is cut down within a few inches of the ground every 4-5 years ( some are cut every year to provide willows for hurdle making etc.)
Carbon Neutral ?
Burning willow its only releasing 5 years worth of carbon accumilated against burning fossil fuels thus relesing 1000’s of years worth of carbon. So in reality burning willow in comparison can be considersd carbon neutral.
Harvesting & Drying.
Harvest every years & the willow will need to be dried ( Seasoned ) for approx 12 months to give a moisture content of approx 20%. We stack willow logs onto an old pallet or similar with one end of them facing the prevailing wind to assist drying. After 5-6 months cover with some metal sheeting etc to keep them dry but still allowing air to circulate. Harvesting green willow or any green wood is easier as the wood is so soft.
YouTube.
If you search ‘Waterwillows’ on YouTube you will find a couple of videos of us chipping one of our willow copses in 2011, Planted in 2005 the willows here were a first harvested 6 years later to give you an idea of just how fast willows can grow.
The Kits.
To simplify the process we have created the kits in modules of 100 meters square and each one of thesed will produce approx 1 tonne of seasoned timber every 5 years so:
5 Kits ( 500 square meters ) will produce 1 tonne of seasoned wood every year
10 Kits ( 1000 meters square ) will produce 2 tonnes of seasoned wood every year ( 1/10 hectare or 1/4 acre )
Contents:
Each kit contains
100 18″ /45cm Willow Cuttings
Planting, havesting and Seasoning instructiosns (laminated for longevity)
Planting bar
Weed Control:
If possible plant through 1m wide labdscape fabric, ( 2 rows per meter wide ) to supress weeds and promote growth as the black membrane warms the soil up in the spring to ensure an eaven longer growing season.
