Great video Harry! This is one of my most favourite of subjects that you cover on your channel, I found it very informative and I shall watch it again now to make sure I didn't miss anything. N.
When you were talking about using the willow being undesireable for stakes due to their adventitious rooting I would say that a commercially available pressure washer should make quick work of the bark. That's how most sawmills clean logs in bulk and they're doing it terms of tons. I've used it to clean ligustrum sticks before, which are also prolific adventitious rooters, and there is another man who crafts walking sticks who uses the pressure-washer. I imagine a man could harvest and blast a significant amount of the 'less desirable' varieties for stake wood in bulk if that's all that's at hand. Quite efficiently too if he set up some rigging. A group could probably collect and clean several hundred. might even be a profitable side-venture for the retiree? Just figured I'd offer it up as a possibility.
I've heard you could simply put the top of the willow stakes downwards in the ground, the foot up, and the willow won't root. I've not put it to the test, but it sounds credible.
@@osroccan it isn't credible. Willow is a highly adaptive, vigorous grower. It evolved in the presense of a range of herbivores to contend with and mitigate grazing and trampling on top of disease. And it doesn't care if it's pointed up or down. so long as it is alive, if the node(s) is healthy it will root. it may have problems due to what's called J-rooting, but it will live none the less. You can do this with tip-layering. Back in the colonial days the way the English settlers started willow copses was to scratch a shallow trench and toss in 2-3 willow cuttings every couple of feet. Then cover them. Not much care was taken to orient them, or position them. It was unneccessary because the plant was simply that vigorous. If a plant failed to take, it is almost certainly that the cutting simply died (dehydration/infection) rather than the orientation it was buried.
Thanks Harry, I didn't realise how effectively a froe can be steered along the grain by alternating the "push" side. Very informative.
Hi Dav...yes Phil managed that very well Regards Harry
now I got to watch the hedge laying film again you made earlier, really memorable, love it!
Thats good ...Phil and I like to inform and entertain! There is also a hedge revisited film! All the best Herman.
Thanks Harry, I'm about to purchase his book on Amazon as well!
Herman Spijk That will please him!
Great video Harry! This is one of my most favourite of subjects that you cover on your channel, I found it very informative and I shall watch it again now to make sure I didn't miss anything. N.
Thanks Neil
Brilliant. Keep them coming Harry.
Thanks Edward
Very informative video. Getting quite keen to have a go at hedge laying
When you were talking about using the willow being undesireable for stakes due to their adventitious rooting I would say that a commercially available pressure washer should make quick work of the bark. That's how most sawmills clean logs in bulk and they're doing it terms of tons. I've used it to clean ligustrum sticks before, which are also prolific adventitious rooters, and there is another man who crafts walking sticks who uses the pressure-washer.
I imagine a man could harvest and blast a significant amount of the 'less desirable' varieties for stake wood in bulk if that's all that's at hand. Quite efficiently too if he set up some rigging. A group could probably collect and clean several hundred. might even be a profitable side-venture for the retiree?
Just figured I'd offer it up as a possibility.
I've heard you could simply put the top of the willow stakes downwards in the ground, the foot up, and the willow won't root. I've not put it to the test, but it sounds credible.
@@osroccan it isn't credible. Willow is a highly adaptive, vigorous grower. It evolved in the presense of a range of herbivores to contend with and mitigate grazing and trampling on top of disease. And it doesn't care if it's pointed up or down. so long as it is alive, if the node(s) is healthy it will root. it may have problems due to what's called J-rooting, but it will live none the less. You can do this with tip-layering.
Back in the colonial days the way the English settlers started willow copses was to scratch a shallow trench and toss in 2-3 willow cuttings every couple of feet. Then cover them. Not much care was taken to orient them, or position them. It was unneccessary because the plant was simply that vigorous.
If a plant failed to take, it is almost certainly that the cutting simply died (dehydration/infection) rather than the orientation it was buried.
Thank you for sharing. This is an art form. 😷👍
Great video! Incredibly interesting the cleaving process and mechanics of it. The bill hook is impressively sharp as well! Thanks for sharing this!
Thanks...and yes the cleaving is impressive!
absolutely fantastic content Harry, Country File, eat your heart out !!!
Simon Hopkins Thanks
I can't find the vid about sharpening the billhook...... 😊
Such a huge fan of your videos and content Harry! Amazing.. keep it up pal! And thank you :)
Thank you
Thanks for posting Harry
Great stuff Harry. Keep it coming. It just so happens I also made myself a froe from an old car leaf spring. :-)
Yes it's ideal good steel for that!
very good vid wish it went on longer
Please follow up on the hedge row and let us see how it’s getting on.
Why would the willow growing create a problem? Why can it not be a valid part of the hedge? Can a willow hedge be laid?
What is that contraption in the background with the weighted lever?
It's a brake, for clamping wood.
Hedging stakes should all be 5ft 6in in length, I have made thousands and any longer is difficult to drive in
Nigel Thornberry reborn!
Willow will grow, upside down or not, willow doesn't care. You can leave a log, laying on the ground, if wet enough, willow will grow...