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Fred Morgan
Sponsor
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Posted: Sat Feb 19th, 2005 11:56 pm |
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On Finca Leola we have been planting our teak trees on a grid of 3.5 x 3.5 meters.
This results in a density of 815 teak trees per hectare (an hectare is 2.47 acres). There have been a lot of plantations who planted at a density of 1,500 trees per hectare.
If you plant at about 1,500 trees per hectare, you will have to thin when the trees are about 3" in diameter and about 30 feet tall. These trees will only have value as fence posts - and if you get a buck a piece you will be doing good.
In someplaces, this is a good idea because the trees crowded together will cause the trees to grow straighter and taller. If the trees grow at about 1 meter to 1 1/2 meters per year, this makes sense.
However, at Finca Leola, we have many of the trees at 30 feet in 1 1/2 years, removing trees in 18 months doesn't make a lot of sense to us.
Therefore, by planting 815 trees per hectare, we skip the first thinning which generally would have little value.
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LogRite
Member
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Posted: Fri Jun 10th, 2005 10:40 pm |
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| Interesting info. How do you space the other species like Mahagony and Sura? Does the spacing depend on more than just the growth rate?
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Fred Morgan
Sponsor
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Posted: Sat Jun 11th, 2005 12:20 am |
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Hi,
I use three factors to decide the spacing.
1. How rich is the soil. If the growth rate will be better than average, you need to separate the trees more to give them room.
2. Do you want to have a thinning that is a throwaway. Often people plant 1200 trees per hectare and in three years throw away about half the trees. You can use them for fence post, but not for much else.
3. Type of tree.
We plant Sura and Mahogany at the same spacing as teak - Sura puts out a lot of size, so it is working well. We not sure yet about mahogany because a pest is causing the trees to not grow quickly, but it seems that the spacing will be correct.
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triplett
Member
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Posted: Sun Jul 17th, 2005 05:59 pm |
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| Fred, you mentioned on the website that you were trying an insecticide to be applied twice yearly on your mahogany to combat the shootborer. How is that working out?
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Fred Morgan
Sponsor
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Posted: Mon Jul 18th, 2005 04:13 pm |
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Not terribly well - I need to update the website with what we are finding. However, they are almost finished growing out of the damage. Once they reach 12 feet, there is no more problem. Should make some really nice figured wood. ;-)
One thing I am hoping to do is select seed from some of the ones who had no problem and see if we can produce a strain that is resistant. We have some volunteer Spanish Cedar which is doing very very well.
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aaron_brewer@hotmail.com
Member
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Posted: Sat Jul 30th, 2005 01:39 pm |
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In regard to the thinnings, small diameter trees are an emerging market here in the U.S. I'v heard very little about it, but I gather it is directed at shorter rotations and higher utilization of the harvested material. In the mid-west, there is a niche market for furniture made from rustic whole, small-diameter limbs.
I'm curious what it means to discard thinnings? Are they burned or composted, or set at the edge of the driveway with a "free" sign?
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Fred Morgan
Sponsor
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Posted: Sat Jul 30th, 2005 09:26 pm |
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Thinnings on our finca will be about 9" in diameter - this is good wood and can be used for flooring, paneling, etc. A little big for the rustic look.
As far as when the trees are considered having no value - fence post tend to be what they are used for - at about 25 cents each.
It costs more to haul em.
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chris priebe
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| Joined: | Sun Feb 26th, 2006 |
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| Posts: | 8 |
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Posted: Fri May 26th, 2006 03:31 pm |
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What is the spacing of teak at harvest?
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Fred Morgan
Sponsor
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Posted: Sat May 27th, 2006 10:45 am |
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Do you mean at final harvest, or do you mean at first thinning? Our planting density is 3.5 meters by 3.5 meters.
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chris priebe
Member
| Joined: | Sun Feb 26th, 2006 |
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| Posts: | 8 |
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Posted: Mon May 29th, 2006 12:11 am |
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Both measures will be fine.
So you start off with 3.5m x 3.5m
Then at about ____ years you thin to _____
.... (second thinning)
Then at _____ years you harvest
Thanks for all your help
Chris
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Fred Morgan
Sponsor
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Posted: Mon May 29th, 2006 12:38 am |
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What we do really can't be equated with what you should expect to do without soil tests and knowing the care you are giving. Your elevation, and your amount of rainfall matter as well.
For example, a teak tree over in Guanacaste that is 17 years old may only be 9 inches in diameter - on our side, a 9 inch could be 6 to 8 years.
But, normally, you expect to thin between 30 to 40 percent at each thinning - our first thinning will occur at 6 years (it appears, maybe sooner) and then every 3 to 4 years after.
But fair warning, we have very very good growth. The odds are very high that you won't equal it. And we spend a lot on care too - which contributes to the growth.
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