Alternatives to hazel out of coppicing season?
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You can use hazel. It'll grow again, might get checked back and be slow but it'll grow.
The issue is that since it's still 'live' that if you shove the rods into the ground, and the ground is damp, then your hazel rods will grow.....as will the willow. Alder does the same.
So, if you want to use it 'out of season' and undried, you're best to strip off the growing layer, the bark, first.
It'll shrink a bit more than stuff that's been cut and stooked, or in willow's case dried and then soaked, so you might need to tighten up stuff a bit as it dried and sets, but otherwise......sometimes you just have to use what you have.
The issue is that since it's still 'live' that if you shove the rods into the ground, and the ground is damp, then your hazel rods will grow.....as will the willow. Alder does the same.
So, if you want to use it 'out of season' and undried, you're best to strip off the growing layer, the bark, first.
It'll shrink a bit more than stuff that's been cut and stooked, or in willow's case dried and then soaked, so you might need to tighten up stuff a bit as it dried and sets, but otherwise......sometimes you just have to use what you have.
Actually, recent advice is that the tree is not damaged by coppicing early - maybe just not in spring when sap is rising the fastest.
Hazel is not a great wood to make a bow out of anyway in my experience. Ash grows like weed in some places and usually needs thinning when it's self seeded. Alder, willow, birch, and scots pine were used as bow woods in the Mesolithic.
Willow will make a hurdle but keep it out of the ground until it's fully dry or it will sprout
I am fairly confident many woods will have been used in wattle and daub - not every part of the country has a lot of hazel.
Hazel is not a great wood to make a bow out of anyway in my experience. Ash grows like weed in some places and usually needs thinning when it's self seeded. Alder, willow, birch, and scots pine were used as bow woods in the Mesolithic.
Willow will make a hurdle but keep it out of the ground until it's fully dry or it will sprout
I am fairly confident many woods will have been used in wattle and daub - not every part of the country has a lot of hazel.
That’sa lot of different tasks you are suggesting out of season.
I think I’d use ash coppice if it’s available. This is not wood-lore, it is just observation of young ash trees that I have cut down again and again in my garden.
If you are just messing about with wood for fun and not depending on durability you can do more with sycamore than the traditional brush-backs and there’s no way you’ll damage that if you cut clean.
Me? I’d make stuff when it’s in season and season stuff for when it’s not.
I think I’d use ash coppice if it’s available. This is not wood-lore, it is just observation of young ash trees that I have cut down again and again in my garden.
If you are just messing about with wood for fun and not depending on durability you can do more with sycamore than the traditional brush-backs and there’s no way you’ll damage that if you cut clean.
Me? I’d make stuff when it’s in season and season stuff for when it’s not.
Wow great response. Thanks for all the suggestions so soon.
Interesting that the pruning rules aren't for the health of the tree - except I guess when the sap is rising. And I suppose always good practice to cut diagonally to minimise risk of the stump getting infected.
Interesting that the pruning rules aren't for the health of the tree - except I guess when the sap is rising. And I suppose always good practice to cut diagonally to minimise risk of the stump getting infected.
Cutting the tree out of season probably won't damage the tree other than in drought conditions.
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Ash does coppice wonderfully and is a strong, flexible wood. As timber it's garbage but, weirdly, elder coppices magnificently.
You get useful stuff from elder ? It shatters here. It cracks....it's the Boor tree of the poem.
Boor tree, boor tree, crookit rung,
Ever weak and never strong.
Flower and fruit, baith sae sweet,
Ne'er trust a stick beneath your feet.
Basically don't climb the elder even if you are after flowers or fruits.
The seedlings are certainly whippy enough for basketry, but I wouldn't have thought for hurdles. It needs a lot of material to make hurdles.
We live and learn
Boor tree, boor tree, crookit rung,
Ever weak and never strong.
Flower and fruit, baith sae sweet,
Ne'er trust a stick beneath your feet.
Basically don't climb the elder even if you are after flowers or fruits.
The seedlings are certainly whippy enough for basketry, but I wouldn't have thought for hurdles. It needs a lot of material to make hurdles.
We live and learn
We make cough syrup from elderberry juiceYou get useful stuff from elder ? It shatters here. It cracks....it's the Boor tree of the poem.
Boor tree, boor tree, crookit rung,
Ever weak and never strong.
Flower and fruit, baith sae sweet,
Ne'er trust a stick beneath your feet.
Basically don't climb the elder even if you are after flowers or fruits.
The seedlings are certainly whippy enough for basketry, but I wouldn't have thought for hurdles. It needs a lot of material to make hurdles.
We live and learn
I make a rob from the berries too. I find that's a useful 'base' to store, and easily made into other things, from cough syrup to food, or even dye.
www.handmadeapothecary.co.uk
Elderberry Rob Syrup — Handmade Apothecary
www.handmadeapothecary.co.uk
Also, coppicing and trimming some of the new green soft shoots in spring makes excellent compost for the garden.
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I live next to woodlands. I leave the elders to grow in the woods, but the birds bring so many seeds in that I routinely weed out dozens of saplings every year. My neighbour hasn't been keeping up with clearing his fences this Summer and there are now three Elders growing almost in front of our eyes. From nothing to six foot saplings in one year.
He's going to have fun howking those out
I like elders, but I'm quite glad I can find them just over the fence and I don't have to find space for them in the garden.
He's going to have fun howking those out
I like elders, but I'm quite glad I can find them just over the fence and I don't have to find space for them in the garden.
I grow some wild ones at the end of the garden, to create a cool shady spot where I hang out when it's hot. I coppice them for poles which I shave before using to stop the rooting.
I have some Hazel too, platted and twisted to make staffs which I sell. They are labours of love.
It's a tiny space but I'm growing a shaddy spot for hot weather.
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I have some Hazel too, platted and twisted to make staffs which I sell. They are labours of love.
It's a tiny space but I'm growing a shaddy spot for hot weather.
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I've worked on a few old buildings and most of the wattle slats round cumbria I've seen have been oak, I guess that if you're already cutting the oak trees for the house beams you might as well use it for the slats.
As oaks not the most flexible wood I figure they might have soaked em in water before use?
As oaks not the most flexible wood I figure they might have soaked em in water before use?
I have an oak splint basket. It's lasted incredibly well. Eric Methven made it, I'm pretty sure he rived it off into strips nearly 2" wide.
I think you're right though and that they had to be soaked, steamed ?, to bend.
Beautifully robust, and lovely work.
M
I think you're right though and that they had to be soaked, steamed ?, to bend.
Beautifully robust, and lovely work.
M
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