[Madame Cholet]

Just had an idea of a coppice area on my new bit of lotty. Can a sweet chestnut be kept in check enough I'm at the back so shade ect is not a problem will It fruit in Northamptonshire
 the wood will be good for bean poles too. will also include a couple of hazels

[Aunt Sally]

We have lots of chestnut coppice in Kent and it grows VERY tall - so very difficult to keep in check.

We have a 3 metre limit for trees on out allotments and we charge for removal of trees at the end of a tenancy.

[ilan]

whilst I love the notion of coppicing It would be a waste on a lotty you are talking a long time span 15 years between cuts etc Hazel will be shorter  but there would be more productive uses for the land  fruit trees etc 

[Madame Cholet]

just founds some info on the net about chestnuts the 15 year cycle is for timber production
you can cut them every 2 or three years for bean poles, which restricts hight and still gives you nuts as long a the weather is not too severe. The hazels will be more for nuts as i'm vegetarian but I might cut some for sticks too. I tasted some foraged walnuts and hazels last year and the taste is no comparison to bought ones.

[Aunt Sally]

whilst I love the notion of coppicing It would be a waste on a lotty you are talking a long time span 15 years between cuts etc Hazel will be shorter  but there would be more productive uses for the land  fruit trees etc 

I agree it's no what allotments are for, [by law] they are for growing veg, fruit and a few flowers.  Not for growing bean poles

[Madame Cholet]

whilst I love the notion of coppicing It would be a waste on a lotty you are talking a long time span 15 years between cuts etc Hazel will be shorter  but there would be more productive uses for the land  fruit trees etc 

I agree it's no what allotments are for, [by law] they are for growing veg, fruit and a few flowers.  Not for growing bean poles

I think we've got cross wires its the chestnuts i  really want the coppicing is to keep the size managable, the poles are a bonus.

[Aunt Sally]

I don't think coppiced chestnuts will produce any nuts.

[Aunt Sally]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chestnut#Cultivation.2C_pests_and_diseases

When grown from seed, the trees do not begin to yield fruit until they are thirty to forty years old. Grafted trees can start bearing in their fifth year.