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Author Topic: Chipping willow for mulch  (Read 7731 times)

Susannah

  • Joined Sep 2012
  • Pencaitland
Chipping willow for mulch
« on: November 12, 2017, 10:55:21 am »
I have a serious amount of chopped willow and intend planting lots of trees and hedged this winter.
After the goats and sheep have nibbled what they want of the leaves and bark I was thinking of shredding the branches and using as a mulch around newly planted trees and whips.
I suddenly thought that perhaps every little bit of chipped willow might grow  :-\ Has anyone any experience or thought on wether this is a good idea or not?
Thank you in advance.
Jacob sheep, Shetland cows, Pygmy goats, Chinese geese, Khaki Campbell ducks.

Fleecewife

  • Joined May 2010
  • South Lanarkshire
    • ScotHebs
Re: Chipping willow for mulch
« Reply #1 on: November 12, 2017, 11:37:26 am »
If your willow has had the bark totally stripped by your animals then it will not regrow.  A plus point is that willow contains chemicals which promote growth, to the extent that you can make a hormone rooting liquid from it, so I would guess this would help your trees establish.  It might also help the weeds to establish  :( .  I'm not sure about that  :tree: :tree: :tree:
"Let's not talk about what we can do, but do what we can"

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Rupert the bear

  • Joined Jun 2015
Re: Chipping willow for mulch
« Reply #2 on: November 12, 2017, 02:48:15 pm »
Whenever I have chipped willow I have left in a covered pile to compost out , the heating denies it any further life .
Yes I have had the mini me willows from chipped waste , if they are on the ground they can grow on .

Susannah

  • Joined Sep 2012
  • Pencaitland
Re: Chipping willow for mulch
« Reply #3 on: November 12, 2017, 07:10:05 pm »
Thank you for your replies. I don't think the goats will strip all the bark by any means so I will chip and leave to heat up and use once composted. Many thanks for the advice.
Jacob sheep, Shetland cows, Pygmy goats, Chinese geese, Khaki Campbell ducks.

Dogwalker

  • Joined Nov 2011
Re: Chipping willow for mulch
« Reply #4 on: November 13, 2017, 08:42:38 am »
If they can get to it goats and sheep will strip the bark clean off and eat a lot of the small twigs.
You just need to turn the branches over so they can get to all sides.
They'll do it with ash, hazel and apple brash too.

wayland

  • Joined Sep 2017
  • Co Wexford
Re: Chipping willow for mulch
« Reply #5 on: November 13, 2017, 10:42:03 am »
We planted a willow plantation a few years ago with the view of providing fire wood for a stove. We planted a quarter of an acre each year for four years. The plan is to harvest a quarter of an acre after four years and so on. In the process we have to restrict the number of leaders that the trees through up. This is done around xmas time and we shred them and use as mulch. The chippings are put into those builders sacks, the ones that would hold a ton of sand.  They heat up and get turned and heat up again. We use these from the following spring onwards. After four years we have never had any regrowth from them. Hopes this helps. While on this subject does any of you have knowledge on the best way to convert these chippings into briquettes? Ideas much appreciated.
Kindred of Star Stone and Greenwood Tree.

 

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