BROWSE HOW TOs

How to Coppice a Tree

By eHow Home & Garden Editor

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Coppicing is an English technique that's been used for forest management for centuries. You can employ the method whenever you want straight, thin poles or pliable stems for fences, furniture, baskets or other projects. You also can use it to produce larger leaves or brighter stems, to keep trees small, or just to add a touch of Old England to your landscaping.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Step1

Select trees to be coppiced. The tree must be deciduous, such as hazel, hornbeam, and sweet chestnut. There are many broadleaf varieties that can be used. Birch, oak and ash are common for building and furniture making.

Step2

Begin in late winter or early spring. The tree must be in its dormant cycle to begin the process of coppicing.

Step3

Cut the tree above the basal wood, which is the swollen area at the base of the tree trunk. This is where the new growth will emerge.

Step4

Allow shoots to grow. A number of shoots will spring up and grow rapidly after cutting. These may be cut during the dormant season, whenever they reach the desired size. Cut each new stem above its basal section. New shoots will continue growing after each cutting. A broad stump, known as a stool, eventually will develop.

Tips & Warnings

Willows are coppiced for their stem color and for weaving. Salix irrorata, known as bluestem or sandbar willow, is a recommended species for coppicing.
European filbert (Corylus avellana), and eucalyptus (Eucalyptus dalrympleana) are other popular species for coppicing.
Coppicing trees in rotation is recommended. Stagger the years that various trees are coppiced to avoid a barren landscape.