Pruning sitka

blue5000

I have approx 12 acres of mostly sitka coming up on 15 years old. Plan is to start taking out 1 row in 7 next year. The biggest trees are roughly 10m tall and 15cm DBH. I have started cutting the side branches off these bigger trees from ground level up to a little over 2m. I'm aiming to prune 1 tree in every 25m2, that isn't in the 7th row.

My question is am I doing it too early? Should I be pruning more than 1 per 25m2?

Maryc3886

Before a thinning (removal of everyone in 7 rows) inspections are often put in. This is taking the lower branches off neighbouring trees to create a walkable alley through the plantation. Other than that Sitka is not generally pruned. The harvesting machine delimbs sitka when harvesting. Pruning is generally for Hardwoods that you need to avoid knots in.

blue5000

Maryc3886 wrote: »

Before a thinning (removal of everyone in 7 rows) inspections are often put in. This is taking the lower branches off neighbouring trees to create a walkable alley through the plantation. Other than that Sitka is not generally pruned. The harvesting machine delimbs sitka when harvesting. Pruning is generally for Hardwoods that you need to avoid knots in.

Welcome to boards Mc. I'm hoping to add a bit of value to the final 120-140 trees per acre by pruning them now. I might be a bit late as some of the biggest trees are already 20cm at dbh.

I understand the harvester knocks the branches off, what I'm trying to do is have 15-20cm of knot free timber on the outside of the final stand, the knots will only be in the 15cm in the middle of the trees if I prune them now and again in 3 or 4 years.

The biggest Norway spruce are about 15cm dbh. I came across this on teagasc website
https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/forestry/advice/management/high-pruning-of-conifer-and-broadleaf-trees/

timfromtang

blue5000 wrote: »

Welcome to boards Mc. I'm hoping to add a bit of value to the final 120-140 trees per acre by pruning them now. I might be a bit late as some of the biggest trees are already 20cm at dbh.

I understand the harvester knocks the branches off, what I'm trying to do is have 15-20cm of knot free timber on the outside of the final stand, the knots will only be in the 15cm in the middle of the trees if I prune them now and again in 3 or 4 years.

The biggest Norway spruce are about 15cm dbh. I came across this on teagasc website
https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/forestry/advice/management/high-pruning-of-conifer-and-broadleaf-trees/

Howdy Blue,
As far as I know none of the irish sawmills pay a premium for pruned knot free timber (although teagasc do encourage pruning). I'd be checking this out before pruning if I were in your position.

It sounds a good stand, high yield class if some are already 20cm at dbh
best of luck with it
tim

Odelay

timfromtang wrote: »

Howdy Blue,
As far as I know none of the irish sawmills pay a premium for pruned knot free timber (although teagasc do encourage pruning). I'd be checking this out before pruning if I were in your position.

It sounds a good stand, high yield class if some are already 20cm at dbh
best of luck with it
tim

This is correct. No commercial mill will pay a premium for that. They won’t get any benefit form it. All logs get mixed together going into the mill. Your 12 acres will only make 5-10% of a mills input while it is being drawn, they won’t be able to segregate and do something special with your logs.
They will pay for desired diameter and straightness.

timfromtang

Odelay wrote: »

This is correct. No commercial mill will pay a premium for that. They won’t get any benefit form it. All logs get mixed together going into the mill. Your 12 acres will only make 5-10% of a mills input while it is being drawn, they won’t be able to segregate and do something special with your logs.
They will pay for desired diameter and straightness.

Hi Odelay and Blue,
I'd probably still prune however,

there are still some 15-25 years in the rotation of your sitka, It is of course possible that given teagasc's encouragement of pruning, and the growth of our forestry industry, that by the time your rotation is complete the sawmills will be paying a premium for pruned feedstock. I'd be for taking the chance.

tim

Odelay

timfromtang wrote: »

Hi Odelay and Blue,
I'd probably still prune however,

there are still some 15-25 years in the rotation of your sitka, It is of course possible that given teagasc's encouragement of pruning, and the growth of our forestry industry, that by the time your rotation is complete the sawmills will be paying a premium for pruned feedstock. I'd be for taking the chance.

tim

Have to agree. Those growth figures are very impressive.

Oddly, there is a difficult to prove of a coloration between Irish grown Sitka and knots! This is very unusual.