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wayland · Joined: 14 Dec 2006 Posts: 1171 Location: Campile. Wexford

What a mess! The orchard has now got springs at the surface and the trees may be waterlogged Confused

. Bad news this as I cant get rid of all this ground water. Short of digging trenchies areound the trees there seems nothing that I can do about it. Ho Hum. Crying or Very sad

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Graney · Joined: 02 Dec 2007 Posts: 81 Location: East Clare

Hopefully, the current waterlogging won't be too much of a problem unless it goes right on through to next spring when the trees start into growth again.

At the moment they are shutting down for the winter and not a lot is going on . The leaves won't be demanding moisture or feed so it won't matter too much if the roots aren't really able to function.

With the amount of rain we get in a 'normal' winter most soils here are pretty well waterlogged most of the winter and yet trees grow away OK in the spring. What makes this year different is that we've come into the winter with the soils pretty well saturated so the waterlogging has happened much earlier.

But don't despair, Wayland. It'll all be OK in the Spring Smile

But don't quote me on that

wayland · Joined: 14 Dec 2006 Posts: 1171 Location: Campile. Wexford

Thanks for that Graney Very Happy

. I dont usually dispair about much and what will be will be of course. The best thing that I can do is keep off it me thinks, but I will get the digger in at some point and pipe the springs to the ditch at the bottom of the paddock. I am also thinking of growing willows along this ditch as fuel crop. I am sure that they will love it there. Dispite all my bitching about the depth of the soil etc. My veg plot has produced the best crops that I have ever grown. So its not all doom and gloom here.

Cheers.
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Graney · Joined: 02 Dec 2007 Posts: 81 Location: East Clare

Willows sound like an excellent idea for that situation .... they'll certainly stand up to waterlogged conditions - even if it lasts all year round.

Ours have done remarkably well this year .... up to 20 feet of new growth. Haven't yet worked out how best to harvest them for fuel though. I've left some for three years and just harvested the three year stems. They're between 3 and 5cm thick and I've been able to cut all but the very thickest with heavy-duty loppers. I'm going to dry them for 3 months, or maybe longer, in the barn and then saw them into one foot lengths to feed into Stanley.

I'm interested to see whether this is a feasible option to harvesting younger and chipping. Mainly because I don't have a chipper, or the space to dry the chips, or a boiler that will take chips Shocked

By the way, if you want some cuttings Wayland, I should be able to help out. Don't have any willows specifically selected for biomass use, but lots of common osier and a few others which seem to grow pretty well.

wayland · Joined: 14 Dec 2006 Posts: 1171 Location: Campile. Wexford

Thanks for the offer Graney Very Happy

. I have about twenty basket willows growing around the little orchard <thanks Blowin> which as you say love the conditions. I will do a bit of research on the best bio mass willows to grow. As I am starting from scratch I may as well use the recomended type. A point for those considering willow for fuel. It spits like crazey and is realy only suitable for enclosed fires like Stanleys and room heaters IMHO. Thanks again Graney.
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blowin · Posted: Mon Jan 12, 2009 2:24 am Post subject:

As prev mentioned , deer stripped all of my orchard to virtually nothing . They later hammered a lot of the basket and biomass types of willow too altho they ignore the "goat" willow which grows in abundance . GQT on radio 4 today had tips for deterring them . The anecdotal one is lion or tiger poo if you can get it , yeah , or , more practically human hair hung from the branches .We have managed to get some from the local barber but I am sure he thinks we are mad . Apparently rotten eggs or the smell of parafin will also keep them away . Pity we haven't got anything left to try it on !
I think I will put an old chest freezer up there --- to let them know where they will end up if they ever come anywhere near this place again ! Laughing

wayland · Joined: 14 Dec 2006 Posts: 1171 Location: Campile. Wexford

Luv the freezer idea LOL. Jays fluid on rags hung around the plot needing protection sometimes works. Alarm guns can also be of use but from what I have seen, what works for one dont necessary work for another. No Deer around these parts, If there was then the freezer would be full of them.
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Camile · Posted: Tue Jan 13, 2009 8:18 pm Post subject:

Well Blowin I know just the man you need for stalking and putting the trouble makers in the freezer ..

macconraoi · Posted: Tue Jan 13, 2009 10:17 pm Post subject:

Planted ash last year only to have it stripped by deer amazingly we plant a field of kale and turnip every year and the deer wear a path across it and never eat it Shocked

yet any hazel coppice is almost always stripped Sad

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wayland · Joined: 14 Dec 2006 Posts: 1171 Location: Campile. Wexford

Just a thought. Do you have wild goats in your area?. These can be more trouble than deer me thinks.

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