Pruning

Yellow_Fern · 05-07-2020 02:23PM #1

Hi,
I am not a forester so I have a question. Forgive my ignorance. Are tree in conifer plantations typically pruned in Ireland, to improve timber quality, or do foresters just think trees here?

Vittu · 05-07-2020 06:51PM

Yellow_Fern wrote: »

Hi,
I am not a forester so I have a question. Forgive my ignorance. Are tree in conifer plantations typically pruned in Ireland, to improve timber quality, or do foresters just think trees here?

High pruning was carried out in the past, not now though as I heard mills were not paying a premium on pruned timber.

blue5000 · 06-07-2020 05:33PM

I've started doing a bit in Norway Spruce to try improve the timber quality on the final crop. Whether it pays to do it or not is debatable though.

Yellow_Fern · 07-07-2020 11:26AM

Thanks for the feedback

blue5000 · 17-09-2020 10:34AM

Yellow_Fern wrote: »

Hi,
I am not a forester so I have a question. Forgive my ignorance. Are tree in conifer plantations typically pruned in Ireland, to improve timber quality, or do foresters just think trees here?

Just an update on this. Had a visit from a Teagasc forestry advisor who said it's not really worth doing it on Sitka spruce, but to keep it up on the Norway spruce. Said I should aim for 10m of clear trunks for the final crop of 250 trees per ha. Even though there is no premium for it at present, it should make it easier to sell.

Pruning

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