Cottonwood Spacing

[awol]

Does anyone have any data on the groth rates of cottonwood (or other species) based on spacing?

Example cotton wood planted on 10' by 10' pacing yeilds about 150 ton/acre

I'm wanting to know what the difference is if they were planted on a 20' by 20'

any Ideas?

Thanks
awol

[swampwhiteoak]

Not much help but from this site you can request the documents that might have some insight.

http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/olympia/silv/publications/growth.htm

411  
 DeBell, D.S., and C.A. Harrington. 1997. Productivity of Populus in monoclonal and polyclonal blocks at three spacings. Can. J. For. Res. (27): 978-985.
 
410  
 DeBell, D.S., C.A. Harrington, G.W. Clendenen, and J.C. Zasada. 1997. Tree growth and stand development of four Populus clones in large monoclonal plots. New Forest 14: 1-18.

Here's another one about the economics of planting cottonwood, but it doesn't specifically answer what you're after:

http://www.srs.fs.fed.us/pubs/ja/ja_stanturf002.pdf

My thinking would be that 20' X 20' is way to wide and you'll be losing a lot of production and encouraging wider branching.  10' X10' or 12 X 12 would be better.  I typically recommend 10 X 8 on hardwood plantings but I haven't worked with pure cottonwood plantations.

Spacing is also going to be based on the estimated time of harvest - 5 year vs. 30 year rotation, ect.  So it might depend.

[Bud Man]

Awol==Try www.srs.fs.fed.us/pubs ------- and then plug in cottonwood--lots here--

[Frank_Pender]

Some of the fellas here in the Willamette Valley are planting as closs as an 8 x 8 spacing then in a couple of yours are pruning up  10 or 12 feet and removing any of the less quality trees if needed.  I will try and call a few to see their reasoning.

[Bud Man]

I've seen them started as close as 4x4 with planned 5 year thinnings for clear boles . They have wide range of adaptability and many usages, and the genetics folk's have got they growing faster and more productive that Weyerhauser Super SYP .

[awol]

Thanks for your guys help... I found a document that had exactly what I needed..... One more thing... I was trying to use the hardwood pulp calculator to get the value of the trees and it says to use Cords as a measurement.  Is there any other way to  figure the pulp volume using dbh or other measurements?

I know one of you wizards of the woods... can help me

Thanks again

awol