I almost used the wrong term for what I have done to this black cherry tree. I had confused "copse" which is a small woodland, with the verb "coppicing".
This black cherry stump represents a tree I had planted as a little stick of a thing a few years ago. Unfortunately, Tropical Storm Frances '04 put a serious lean into this tree and it was too close to the house to stay. So I have coppiced it.
Coppicing involves cutting a tree to a low stump and then allowing selected shoots to grow for later harvest. It is the cleverest thing.
I like carving wood (when not remodeling) and black cherry is one of my favorite walking stick woods. The hardness, the colors, the smell as you peel the bark...mmmm.
So these sprouts will grow for maybe one more season and then I will harvest them, paint the ends to avoid checking, and let them dry.
After that, if time allows, I'll find what's inside waiting to come out.
1 comment:
I know this is an old post, but how has this turned out? I’m thinking of doing the same thing for my black cherries.
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