[sandy]

The power station here in Scotland do burn wood and also s**t!!! they call it "biomass!!"

[doganjo]

Isn't that just typical!  I think that is the height of nonsense when we have so much water around. It is free!  It is in abundance!  It is a source of destruction unless harnessed! It causes untold fear, damage and heartbreak! So why can't they catch it and use it's power to create the electricity we need instead of burning stuff.  OMG I'm beginning to sound like Rusty!

[Hilarysmum]

Isn't that just typical!  I think that is the height of nonsense when we have so much water around. It is free!  It is in abundance!  It is a source of destruction unless harnessed! It causes untold fear, damage and heartbreak! So why can't they catch it and use it's power to create the electricity we need instead of burning stuff. 

Now that would be too sensible ...... and cheaper   so of course not

[Norfolk Newby]

If you plant Willow - any of that family of trees - be careful not to get them near drains as their roots 'find' water and will almost certainly block drains within 10m.

I think the industrial production of Willow for fuel plants them in rows about 1m apart and keeps them cut once the stems get 2-2.5m high producing an effect like a coppiced Hazel - all small stems.

You have to keep on top of Willow in bulk or it will take over!

Birch trees grow quickly, can tolerate damp soil and are very pretty but the wood isn't much use as it's too soft and doesn't make good fuel.

As alternatives, Hazel has advantages (nuts!) and traditionally Ash was grown as fuel (hence the name). It produces a good tree for coppicing. I've got about 15 in the hedge on one side of my land. The trunks grow up about 8-10m when they are around 15cm diameter and ideal for logs. You can split the logs to make palings for fences or similar so the wood has other uses. It's fairly quick growing so I can re-coppice each stump every 5-6 years.

Willow can grow in very wet soil but if you get on top of this with better drainage plus the drying effect of the Willow, you can then plant other trees like Hazel and Ash and they will do well.

NN

[doganjo]

I'm hoping the willow will help me.  The half acre of grass at the front of the house is well under water a lot of the winter as we are quite a bit below the rest of the village, and next to a burn that comes to the top of the bank if there is a lot of rain, but is just a trickle in the summer.  I have one large drain pipe that pumps effluent from my house up to the main drain on the road at the other side of the railway line so I'll keep them well away from that.  I helped my neighbour up North build a willow house for her children with cuttings from the willow hedge they had planted along the stream.  We found it had invaded all their and my field drains and blocked them so I now know the risks.  Are there any other trees that would help take the surplus water away from the grass?

[sandy]

Me and Steve have just ordered loads more stones from Beastons!!!

[ballingall]

I'm thinking of using some willow too, we have a clay soil and its so wet just now its horrible 

[doganjo]

Beth, speak to Karen Happy Hippy - I'm getting some from her on 7th December.  She's not far away, maybe she could get some for you too?  By the way, thank you so much for the goat's milk - we all love it!

[ballingall]

Glad to hear it- do you want some more on Tuesday? Will speak to Karen, I have been trying to get a hedge going for the past two years of Hawthorn and beech, and its just not doing very well. Hopefully willow would do better. Also, the hedge was planned to be one that would be edible for the goats, so willow is fine for that.

Beth

[doganjo]

Don't need any more milk meantime - still have a couple of the big bottle left in the freezer.  Maybe week after?

[ballingall]

Dog training finishes next week- last week until January. May pop over and see you (and the puppies) though.


Beth

[doganjo]

Sorry, forgot!  Will be there!  You're very welcome to come over any time.

[Hilarysmum]

doganjo try poplars.  Used all over here in Brittany for drainage purposes.  Make very very fast growing trees.  Can be cut down and will regrow again from stump.