July 2024 – Headley Hall Demonstrator Hub Update
Headley Hall Site Plan
It’s something of a mixed bag at the Headley Hall Demonstrator Hub site this month. Most crops are doing well, but a few are struggling to get established.
Crop Diaries
Click on the titles below to find out how each of the crops are progressing.
Alder
- The majority of the SRF alder trees are looking healthly, but we have noticed some leaves browning. On the browning leaves there were a large number of small black insects.
- It’s an ongoing process to keep on top of the weeds at the plant bases.
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- The SRF alder plot at Headley Hall, July 2024
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- Insect damage on alder leaves at Headley Hall, July 2024
Black Locust
- Some of the SRF black locust ‘Turbo’ trees are showing signs of yellowing.
- We are still fairly concerned about the replanted SRF black locust ‘Turbo Obelisk’ as there is very little growth above ground. Two plants were dug up, they were believed to be deceased plants but the root system looked healthy, and the stalk was green. There were however no buds showing higher up the plant. When digging up the plants it was noticed that there was a large number of slugs, it might be worth going in and applying some pellets to see if this might help the situation.
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- Black locust ‘Turbo Obelisk’ at Headley Hall, July 2024
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- Black locust ‘Turbo’ at Headley Hall, July 2024
Eucalyptus
- The SRF Eucalyptus trees at Headley Hall are growing well and getting quite tall.
- The bark on some of the trees is turning a red colour as the trunk is thickening from the young growth.
- We have noticed a tree where the leaves at the top of the tree were dead and grey, but the leaves further down were still growing.
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- Eucalyptus at Headley Hall, July 2024
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- Red colour on Eucalyptus bark
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- Leaf damage at top of Eucalyptus
Poplar
- The SRF poplar trees are looking in a good state with no issues to report. They are branching out a fair bit and the canopy cover is getting fairly full.
- The SRC poplar trees are growing nicely. There are some weeds around the bases of the trees which will be strimmed and then sprayed with the herbidome.
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- SRC poplar at Headley Hall, July 2024
Miscanthus
- The 0.5 ha Miscanthus giganteus plot is looking good. The plants have grown well this year and is well over 2 m tall now.
- More plants have come through in the 0.5 ha Miscanthus Athena™ plot since the last report. The area was sprayed for weeds on 29/6/24. MCPA 2 l/ha and Starane 0.6 l/ha. There is still a very green base across the area after this application and some of the creeping thistle has not taken much of a hit.
- The 2023 Miscanthus Variety Trial plot looks good. The plants are growing well and are a thick green colour. Work on the Illinois variety is scheduled for the end of the month.
- The 2024 Miscanthus Variety Trial plots seems to have established well. It was sprayed with MCPA 2 l/ha and Starane 0.6 l/ha to control the weeds that were coming through.
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- Miscanthus Athena™ at Headley Hall, July 2024
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- Miscanthus x giganteus at Headley Hall, July 2024
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- 2024 Miscanthus variety trial at Headley Hall, July 2024
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- 2023 Miscanthus variety trial at Headley Hall, July 2024
Willow
- The gapped up plants in the 0.5 ha SRC willow plot are showing signs of growth with green leaves on them. The Inger variety still has its issues with leaf drop on lower areas of the stem. The Lisa variety has started to show some issues, there is a bit of senescence of the leaves and leaf curl. Resolution is also showing signs of the leaves turning yellow.
- The new willows in the SRC willow variety trial are taking well and showing a good number of leaves. The rest of the trial looks good with good regrowth after the harvest in March.
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- Inger variety, Headley Hall, July 2024
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- Yellow leaves on Lisa variety
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- The gapped up plants growing well in the 0.5 ha willow trial
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- Yellow leaves on Resolution variety
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- The willow variety trial at Headley Hall, July 2024
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- Willow variety trial
Sida
- The sida plants at Headley Hall seem to of established well and have not had too many deaths which is very pleasing to see.
- We have noticed that one or two of the leaves have turned a bit yellow.
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- Sida at Headley Hall, July 2024
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- Yellow leaves on sida
Reed Canary Grass
- The reed canary grass has grown very well and is pretty thick across the plot.
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- Reed canary grass at Headley Hall, July 2024
Switchgrass
- The switchgrass has started to grow well. It was struggling to get going for a while but the warmer weather has clearly helped push it forward a little bit.
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- Switchgrass at Headley Hall, July 2024
Silphium
- The Silphium is not planted yet but is on the to do list of jobs.
Plans and Actions
- The SFI mix around the outside of the field and plots have got a fair amount of weeds growing in it, so much so that it is outcompeting the mix of species in the mix.
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- Weeds in SFI mix, Headley Hall, July 2024
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- Weeds in SFI mix, Headley Hall, July 2024
