Grow Your Own

Beanpoles and peasticks

3

CARING FOR A NEW COPPICE WOOD

The first cut
Depending on local growing conditions and how well the young Hazels have been looked after they will, by the third or fourth growing season, have a well-established main shoot and a number of young sucker shoots rising from the base. At this point the dominant main shoot and any additional strong shoots can be cut out for use as peasticks. This will promote the growth of additional sucker shoots.

STUMPING BACK
Trees can be cut back to a 5cm stump at the time of planting. This promotes early shrubby coppice growth and in some ways is the ideal approach for gardens, If weeds are not controlled, however, they can overwhelm the stumps

Second and subsequent cuts
Once the hazel coppice stools are established and beanpole sized shoots are beginning to appear these can be cut out selectively, i.e. just the ones you need (draw coppicing). This is ideal for when you want to maintain the woodland at much the some size to provide shade, screening or as part of a garden design. The best approach, however, for promoting increased beanpole production is to cut the whole coppice stool down to ground level (full coppicing). This latter approach is how Hazel is managed in woodlands and is likely to be the best option in larger schemes. Dogwood particularly benefits from this approach producing a multitude of attractive red shoots that can be cut every one to two years.

Cutting Hazel shoots is best undertaken between September and mid March. Although light selective cutting outside this period will not result in much harm to the Hazel, it may damage flowering plants and disturb nesting birds. Remember that Hazel leaves, which are retained well into November, can be fed to some livestock. This also means that where mainly peasticks are required it is best to delay cutting till December when the leaves have all fallen.
Where a spacing of 2 x 2m has been used it is a good idea to retain one or two long whippy shoots on each coppice stool. These can then be bent over into any gaps and pegged along a shallow trench that is back filled with soil and fallen leaves. New shoots and roots will form to provide a new 'free' plant which can be coppiced at a future time.

CREATING A COPPICE WOODLAND GARDEN

WHAT TO PLANT

Hazel coppice management is easy to adapt to gardens. It can serve as a feature in its own right providing structure and screening to the garden. In addition the potential to create a 'Bluebell Wood' or similar in the back garden is a big attraction!

Bulbs and shade tolerant perennials, such as Fern, Bluebell and Primroses, will form the main body of the ground flora with Climbers and scramblers, such as Honeysuckle, Clematis and species of rose to give added interest. Following coppicing, the ground surface receives much more light and warmth resulting in an explosion of flowering and growth. At the same time transient biennials and short-lived perennials (such as Foxgloves and Red Campion) germinate and invade the space. As the woody shoots regrow over the next few years, shade gradually increases and the transient species are eliminated, or forced to the edges, leaving only the species able to tolerate shade in the interior. Without the shading, the light-demanding transients would be able to dominate entirely.

WHEN AND HOW TO PLANT

Wait until the coppice is established and is casting shade before planting flowers. During this time eradicate all perennial weeds by, for example regular cutting of the ground vegetation. In some cases, especially larger derelict sites with thick perennial growth, it is worthwhile sowing an appropriate grass mix, which with the aid of regular cutting will soon dominate the site. On smaller areas following eradication of perennial weeds, heavy mulching with Forest Bark or chippings will get the site into a good condition but is costly. Once the coppice canopy has knitted together it can be planted or sown with wild or garden plants as desired. Where there is an established sward then it will usually be best to plant appropriate species rather than sow seed. Suggestions for native flower species are given in Table 3.

NATIVE FLOWERS AND FERNS FOR THE COPPICE

Table 3

PLANTED PERENNIALS

Wild Primrose (Primula vulgaris)
Lesser Celandine (Ranunculus ficaria)
Wood Anemone (Anemone nemorosa)
Woodruff (Galium odoratum)
Lords and Ladies (Arum maculatum)
Sweet Violet (Viola odorata)
Lily of the Valley (ConvalLaria majalis)
Ferns such as male-fern (Dryopteris filix-mas)

TRANSIENTS FROM SEED (Will probably arise naturally)

Red Campion (Silene dioica)
Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea)

BULBS

Ramsons (Allium ursinum)
Bluebells (Hyacinthoides non-scripa)
Wild Daffodil (hlarcissuspseudonarcissus)

Nigel Dunnet's article lists a much wider range of plants including exotic soecies.

ADDING FEATURES FOR WILDLIFE

A new coppice is a fantastic wildlife habitat in its own right but you can asily make it even better for wildlife. Log piles can create ideal nesting ites for Wrens as well as a home for many different insects and fungi. Garden compost heaps and overgrown log piles make n home for the rare Stag Beetle in areas where it occurs. Hedgehog boxes can easily be made and put in the coppice to provide a warm dry home to sleep through the sinter. A list of Wildlife Gardening Publications is given at the end which provide lots of good ideas on how to help the wildlife in your area.

USEFUL PUBLICATIONS

Coppice and Wildlife Gardening

Nigel Dunnett (2000) At the Cutting Edge, The Garden, Vol 125,
part 5 pages 388-391

Chris Baines (1985) How to make a wildlife garden, Elm tree Books.

Bob & Liz Gibbons (1992) Creating a wildlife garden, Hamlyn.

Tree Planting

Elizabeth Agate (1998) The Urban Handbook: a practicle guide to community environmental work, BTCV publications

Barbara Kiser (1991) Trees and Aftercare: a practical handbook, BTCV publications.

Simon Hodge (1995) Creating and Managing Woodlands Around
Towns, Forestry Commission Handbook No 11., HMSO

National Suppliers of Native Trees and Wildflowers

Landlife Wildflowers (Wildflower seeds) Tel 0151 728 7011

BTCV (Wildflower seeds/plants and container grown trees) Tel 01302 572 200

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