Ash 2nd Thinning

John Kelly of

Hello guys I have ash and sycamore about 22 years old.

Ash about 2.5 hectares and sycamore about 1.5 hectares

The ash is in 2 fields.

One field of ash looks good and the stems are about 15-20cm diameter but the other field of the ash looks smaller and not growing well stems 10-15cm,

The sycamore is mostly ok about 15-20cm diameter.

It was all thinned about year 15.

Can anything be done to help the bad field grow better?

When should I do the next thinning? can't seem to find any guidance online.

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https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/111818954/#Comment_111818954

I'd listen to that post.

Chances are you will get dieback, so get out the hurleys while you can.

If you have idea in your idea in your head that you will get good money for large final harvest trees in the future, ring round a few saw mills and see how big the ash market is outside of hurleys

John Kelly of

Thanks man, looks like I will have to wait till the diameter is 28cm, not there yet.

Do you have to dig down below the surface around the roots to cut the hurley butt's? Sounds like a tough job.

John Kelly of

And how much did you get for each hurley tree? Did you deliver them to the hurley maker?

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You will get paid per cubic metre not tree.

To my mind there is skill to

*picking the right tree

*cutting it down so you get the curve for bas

What I do is ask hurley man to mark trees he wants and number them. He then gives me a sheet with the number and the dbh marked. Ic heck them they and agree volume and thereby price.

€450 per m is what I was paid last I think.

28cm or so are ideal but no guarantee they will ever get there!

Look around your ditches locally and you'll probably spot the dieback

Best of luck

John Kelly of

Great advice thanks