Pollarding a willow

[spandit]

Funnily enough, they were round surveying the line yesterday. Didn't notice a problem. Looking at them now, they aren't a million miles away. There's a storm damaged one out of frame that's much closer.

Don't want to kill the willows, though, isn't it best to cut them in the winter? They're coming into leaf now

 

[spandit]

You're going to be a toasty cowboy with that combo! Are you going to do a post on the stove once you get it going? Would be interesting to see.

Of course. It's already running. I've basically built a small rocket stove inside an old Esse oil fired range cooker. It's difficult to fuel but gives out reasonable heat once warmed up. Haven't connected the water up yet as 28mm pipe is very expensive. I suppose PolyPipe might do the job but not sure of temperature rating

 

[Nice65]

Funnily enough, they were round surveying the line yesterday. Didn't notice a problem. Looking at them now, they aren't a million miles away. There's a storm damaged one out of frame that's much closer.

Don't want to kill the willows, though, isn't it best to cut them in the winter? They're coming into leaf now

To be honest, you'll have a hard job to kill a Willow, but you're right it's best to do the work late Autumn as a general rule. However, no tree surgeon or powerline company is going to down tools for 6 months of the year. In my experience they all survive.

The reason why they didn't see a problem is because there's still so much storm work and network in worse condition to deal with it has to take priority. Do be careful though, it's not like getting a shock off a light socket, the 11,000v has a live zone of up to 1.5m. If it's wet, foggy, or smoky then arcing is possible. Smoke is the worst because of the carbon and moisture combined.

No need to get too worried, but that sort of voltage needs awareness and respect.

 

[spandit]

That's useful to know about the smoke, etc.

 

[spandit]

The willow is fighting back hard now!

bit disappointed to find that some of the whips I planted in a tub have died but they were free (foraged...) and I only planted 3

 

[Toddy]

Willows in damp ground and good light can put on an astonishing amount of growth
Looks like kind of crowded but healthy growth though

M

 

[spandit]

Thinking of snipping off the lower growth to raise the crown but it will probably grow back regardless!

 

[Toddy]

Give it a month or so and you might get away with it. They don't really open up new buds all year long, and that burst of growth there is the Spring growth that will keep growing all Summer.

We tidy up other trees that produce loads of wee shoots from the trunk that way.

Somewhere I mind a link to the RHS's pruning guide....might be worth a read maybe the guides to the Living Willow structures too.

atb,
M

 

[spandit]

It's done all that in a week. I've been away and can't wait to see what else has developed

 

[Toddy]

Lovely trees are willows and they're incredibly useful too from aspirin to ropes, from charcoal to helping to dry out sodden wet ground, poles and baskets, feeding for goats and insects, biomass and bioengineering, cricket bats and cradleboards. Lots of folk tales about them too, the hag in the elder and the old man willow.

It'll be interesting to see how it develops A kind of step by step photo thing.

cheers,
M

 

[spandit]

I'm just waiting for my osier plantation to really accelerate. Will of course take more pictures

 

[spandit]

Some of the osier I planted "wild" is about a foot tall now.

The stuff in membrane & tubes isn't doing so well.

Some of the larger stuff I stuck in the ground has had the bark eaten, by deer I assume.

I'll set the wildlife camera up there and see if I can catch them in the act!

 

[Toddy]

It's tasty stuff for a lot of the grazers No idea why though, apart from goat willow some of them can be really bitter.

Every single stick I planted last year has come :yikes: I was kind of hoping for a bit more attrition to be honest. Oh well.

atb,
M