Selfsufficientish.com

Article of mine about this up at Permaculture Mag.

http://www.permaculture.co.uk/readers-s ... s-or-tools

Interesting - I have a stump or two going spare, this is a good use for them. I've only ever made charcoal accidentally before.

Zoe

Well done SG and very clearly explained. Sadly it won't work for the tree stump problem we are currently faced with, as it's around three-metres wide and causing problems to the building its roots are currently burrowing into (poor tree just wants to live). You've given me lots to think about though and maybe we could engineer something big enough using corrugated iron or other bits of wombled metal scraps.

NB, after we reluctantly cut the tree down, we were amazed at the quality of the soil we recovered from the within the trunk/root - it made for great potting soil.

Zoe it's not an easy way to make charcoal but that is a side product of the process. I would only bother if the tree stump is in your way.

Thanks Contadina, glad you found it useful.

That does sound like a real monster you are dealing with. Worrying being so close to a building. The tree and the potential burn.

Hope you find a way that works.

Hawthorn makes fantastic charcoal, but I'm not sure that I'd want to cook with charcoal that might be contaminated by the paint from an old shed. Rather than willow, have you thought about planting alder to coppice for charcoal? It makes much better charcoal than willow, it coppices very well and it's a nitrogen fixer.

great article

Good point Bulworthy. I don't have room for an alder tree unfortunately. I was thinking about willow because I could use it in various ways and plant it along a boundary instead of a fence or hedge. I'm still thinking.

It's a very good suggestion though for others who might read the article and have the space. If you have time perhaps a comment on the article? The editor actually emailed me and said the article is 'incredibly popular' which I was amazed at. Removing tree stumps seemed a lot less interesting to me than, for example, heating 500 showers from a compost pile. That seems much sexier

Thanks Boboff!

Alder will work as a hedge, they are small and spindly when first in, and can be coppiced just like willow ( or Pollarded, which for a hedge is better)
The wood is better for charcoal, but will is faster growing and will propogate more easily.
I am experimenting with Willow planted with Roses this year, the willow gives the support, the roses the defence and the smell! The roses are self propogated ( just take 8 inch sticks wrap wet newspaper around the bottom, and seal in a carrier bag, this has worked with 50% of the dozen roses I bought Mrs B for Valentines!) I am trying to underplant with mints as well to surpress weeds, then a margin both sides of comfrey to help with the soil etc...... Who knows, but it's fun trying!

This sounds great. Really multifunctional.

I like the sound of your rose propogation method. How long do you leave them in the carrier bag and then what do you do?
Plant the stem with the newspaper?

Thanks.