invest plant trees, to burn in 20 years

[Ashful]

I'm thinking there are some here who could make some good recommendations, if you could post the following:

Average yearly high
Average yearly low
Average yearly rainfall
Average yearly hours of sun (versus cloud cover)

We use something called "climate zones" for choosing trees in the US, and I'm sure you have a similar system, but I'd bet it doesn't correlate well to ours. I believe the four averages I listed above are the primary factors in determining your climate zone (a gardener like @begreen probably knows more about this), so I'm thinking that with these four numbers, one of us could find a US city that is similar in climate, and then have a better conversation on options for that city.

 

[Prometeo]

here are all the required information, tips are welcome!

Campobasso climate: weather by month, temperature, precipitation, when to go

Climate information for Campobasso (Italy) - weather averages in Celsius and Fahrenheit. With tips on the best time to visit.

www.climatestotravel.com

 

[EbS-P]

So you are wanting fast growth in a moderate climate that freezes with annual precipitation of 22 inches or 60 cm of rain a year. I don’t see many hardwood forests in the US that would be see as commercially productive with that amount of rain.

Texas is about as close a comparison (take away the really hot summers). If I wanted fast growing firewood I look around for species of soft wood. I like burning pine. You can plant it dense and it grows straight. But again you are going to be rain fall limited unless you irrigate.

Are there any managed forests near you? That’s where I would be looking to see what they plant.

 

[Prometeo]

thank you, I have a small forest on the right, of elms, and to the left, of a kind of oak, but their growth is slow I see photos from 10 years ago and very little has changed. While the previous owner of this house, who commissioned this house, had planted a kind of cypress, fir, evergreen oak, that compared to the forest, and over the course of 10 years, are more developed, that's why I don't limit myself to what's here in nature. Then I found that these trees that seem to grow better, they are tolerant of calcareous soil, which is here and not all trees bear it. About water, always this land, holds a lot, in the middle of summer, if I dig 10 inches the ground has moisture

 

[Ashful]

...their growth is slow I see photos from 10 years ago and very little has changed.

Yeah, I believe it. Refer back to my post #37, water is everything to growth rate. Even drought-tolerant species are going to suffer low growth rates when water is constrained. Anyone looking at identical species I have planted on this property, same climate, sun, soil, is always surprised in the difference between those trees receiving irrigation water, versus the few that are not. The growth rate of those on irrigation may be close to double of those without, at least in these first 5 years after transplant.

 

[Prometeo]

I did a cross search, and i found these compatible with clay soil and calcareous, I agree that without water growth is weak, but I have to concentrate first with trees that are compatible with respect to the type of soil. I already own the first two others I have to try! If anyone knows these last 3 well, I accept tips

Quercus cerris
Robinia pseudoacacia
Acer platanoides
Tilia cordata
Fraxinus excelsior

 

[EbS-P]

I did a cross search, and i found these compatible with clay soil and calcareous, I agree that without water growth is weak, but I have to concentrate first with trees that are compatible with respect to the type of soil. I already own the first two others I have to try! If anyone knows these last 3 well, I accept tips

Quercus cerris
Robinia pseudoacacia
Acer platanoides
Tilia cordata
Fraxinus excelsior

Had to look them up.

Turkey oak
Black locust
Norway maple
Little leaf linden
European ash.

 

[Prometeo]

Had to look them up.

Turkey oak
Black locust
Norway maple
Little leaf linden
European ash.

Thanks,
is norway maple fast growth in your area ?

 

[Ashful]

Had to look them up.

Turkey oak
Black locust
Norway maple
Little leaf linden
European ash.

I know oaks, maples, lindens, and ash, but not those particular varieties of each. Black locust is a solid fast-growing firewood tree, excellent choice. All lindens I know are prized yard trees, nice shape, very pretty, good for your front yard... but I have no gauge on their firewood value. I'd check the resistance of that Euro Ash to Emerald Ash Borer beetle, as I'm guessing it's near zero. America has been losing all of her ash trees over the last ten years, of nearly all varieties. Most oaks are reasonable growers, if you don't mind the leaf clean-up.

 

[Prometeo]

Thank you, about btu, I have become much more flexible. Since I've been burning hardwood harvested 1000 meters above the sea, I realize that it lasts many hours, but flames are small and heat, little, despite low moisture. So at this point any tree for burn that is good for this type of soil, climate, It will be ok, the most important thing is to season it well. I aimed for the Norway maple, which should grow rapidly, little leaf lindens, ed european ash are more suitable for gardens, Exactly. Leaves are no problem, I have no side fence, I wait for the wind to blow away!
After that I can start thinking about water. I channel the whole roof, and drainage around the house, in one tube, and I intend to place a large cockpit 12 meters cubic, half buried

 

[EbS-P]

Given your rainfall coppicing should really be considered. First commencement says black locust are a good choice.

Coppicing for Firewood | Winter 2013 | Articles | T

Of all the silvicultural techniques available to forest owners, perhaps no method is more underused than coppicing. Coppicing is a reproduction… This content

northernwoodlands.org

 

[Prometeo]

I had a little underestimated this aspect, but actually northern Italy is very practiced and yes, black locust, it is the most productive, 8 cubic meters per year for every 10,000 square meters. 6 metres, Beech And 4 - 5 oaks. I take advantage of this technique, for some elms which I will cut soon, Thank you for the link 👍

 

[Easy Livin’ 3000]

Thank you, about btu, I have become much more flexible. Since I've been burning hardwood harvested 1000 meters above the sea, I realize that it lasts many hours, but flames are small and heat, little, despite low moisture. So at this point any tree for burn that is good for this type of soil, climate, It will be ok, the most important thing is to season it well. I aimed for the Norway maple, which should grow rapidly, little leaf lindens, ed european ash are more suitable for gardens, Exactly. Leaves are no problem, I have no side fence, I wait for the wind to blow away!
After that I can start thinking about water. I channel the whole roof, and drainage around the house, in one tube, and I intend to place a large cockpit 12 meters cubic, half buried

Just a comment on Norway maples-

One of our most famous horticulturists imported Norway maples to the USA back in colonial times, 1700's I believe. His name was John Bartram and his garden still exists as a destination in Philadelphia.

Now they are considered an invasive species (and they really are), because they outcompete our native species using several strategies. They reproduce prolifically, grow fast, grow better in the understory of woodlands than young native species, and emit a compound that discourages growth in other vegetation. I spent the first few years eradicating them on my property. They burn well and season fast, as firewood goes.

These features may be just what you are looking for, for your plantation trees. Be aware though, they will spread and likely outcompete your native species in your woodlands, just as they are doing very effectively, here.

 

[Prometeo]

Thank you, Yes, I've also come to the conclusion that it should work. you are confirming, I hope it's invasive here too! Someone is already on the way, and it should be coppice too, but I also have high expectations for the b.locust.

 

[Prometeo]

after the amazement about rainfall, I wanted to take a look at the annual values, because there are not many rains, but not very few either,
average should be 0.8 meters
previous site is not accurate,
it consider rain of 2001, historic low last 25 years

 

[Ashful]

I had a little underestimated this aspect, but actually northern Italy is very practiced and yes, black locust, it is the most productive, 8 cubic meters per year for every 10,000 square meters. 6 metres, Beech And 4 - 5 oaks. I take advantage of this technique, for some elms which I will cut soon, Thank you for the link 👍

I wanted to do some conversion, but need to know what you mean by "8 cubic meters". Is that volume of split and stacked wood, or solid wood volume? For example, our typical cord of firewood = 128 cubic feet split and stacked = 85 cubic feet of solid wood volume.

 

[Prometeo]

are 3,3 cords, split and stacked, but the cycle is 10 years, so 33 cords. The calculation speaks of 10,000 meters with no more than 25 percent b.locust. the rest cover must be taken from the new shoots. 8 cubic meters, is the net increase in wood

 

[Prometeo]

coppicing started

 

[Prometeo]

some informations, oak family, specimens 40 years old and over, coppicing, it does not work, that case leave good trees for seeds, while b.locust it doesn't have this problem!

 

[Ashful]

One fast-growing tree that grows like weeds around here, and puts up hundreds of fresh offspring around each tree every year, is Silver Maple (Acer saccharinum). They grow to more than 1.5 meters diameter in a lifetime, and I have a few across the back of my property that must be over 120 feet tall, absolute monsters. They grow in vase shape with multiple trunks, and tend to lose large limbs or even full trunks in heavy snowstorms, making them a poor yard tree. They also don't have a very long lifespan for a tree, really only 100 - 125 years, making them another poor choice for your front yard. But as a purely fast fuel source, they might not be a terrible choice.

 

[EbS-P]

That is good.

coppicing started
View attachment 309525

I wonder how tall a stump is best to leave ??

 

[Prometeo]

One fast-growing tree that grows like weeds around here, and puts up hundreds of fresh offspring around each tree every year, is Silver Maple (Acer saccharinum). They grow to more than 1.5 meters diameter in a lifetime, and I have a few across the back of my property that must be over 120 feet tall, absolute monsters. They grow in vase shape with multiple trunks, and tend to lose large limbs or even full trunks in heavy snowstorms, making them a poor yard tree. They also don't have a very long lifespan for a tree, really only 100 - 125 years, making them another poor choice for your front yard. But as a purely fast fuel source, they might not be a terrible choice.

Thank you, yes indeed family maple should fit well in this area, I'll take some price is good too!

 

[Prometeo]

That is good.

I wonder how tall a stump is best to leave ??

your link indicated 5 inches, while in Italy they speak of only a few centimeters, if greater height they say that the strength of new shoots is less, I left about 2 inches inclined cut

 

[Prometeo]

a study says that Norway maple, It's the biggest CO2 eater absorbing 3800 kg in 20 years!

 

[Easy Livin’ 3000]

a study says that Norway maple, It's the biggest CO2 eater absorbing 3800 kg in 20 years!

I believe it! Trouble is, it is so prolific and successful that it is wiping out the native flora in my area. Direct correlation between it's appetite for carbon, to its success over other species. No thanks! The tulip poplar is probably as effective and plays very nicely with the other natives.

I don't want to be part of creating a Norway maple monoculture in my area. But, to each their own. If you could see what it's doing to the woods around here, and how chitty the woods look when the Norway's take over, I don't think you'd be so enthusiastic.