Miscanthus
- Thread starter PAL SPC
- Start date
woodworm
Member
- Location
- Thetford Norfolk
I dont have any experience of growing miscanthus, but am certain that it has a great future. It is an extremely versatile and renewable product which will come in to its own within 3 or 4 years. Far superior than willow coppice imho.
Speedstar
Member
- Location
- Scottish Borders
Wilson Farming are the men to talk to, Same guy that is in the Grass men C/Ds
Dan7626
Member
As said above, Wilson Farming seem to be the biggest set up for dealing with miscanthus.
linga
Member
- Location
- Ceredigion
We grew 11 acres which was supposed to be used for biomass but it was never taken (despite the contract). It grows well enough but thats not the problem.
We struggled to get anyone to bale it. No one could get it into a square bale and those that attempted to round bale it left either having failed or determined never , ever to do it again. Our local contractors did find a way but refused to do anyone elses I am told.
I have seen it in square bales though and I believe there is a technique to facilitate baling but that was not available locally.
We ended up using it unchopped as cattle bedding and I think (but its a view not shared by everyone) that it was quite good for that.
Burning it for biomass is not so easy depending on the boiler as the canes tend to wrap around the feed auger and cause blockages. The ash melts at a low temperature and forms clinker which then jams the walking floor de-asher.
Thats what I was told anyway.
In the end, and as we were going back into milk we used Roundup on ours..twice...and its still not completely dead.
Have fun
We struggled to get anyone to bale it. No one could get it into a square bale and those that attempted to round bale it left either having failed or determined never , ever to do it again. Our local contractors did find a way but refused to do anyone elses I am told.
I have seen it in square bales though and I believe there is a technique to facilitate baling but that was not available locally.
We ended up using it unchopped as cattle bedding and I think (but its a view not shared by everyone) that it was quite good for that.
Burning it for biomass is not so easy depending on the boiler as the canes tend to wrap around the feed auger and cause blockages. The ash melts at a low temperature and forms clinker which then jams the walking floor de-asher.
Thats what I was told anyway.
In the end, and as we were going back into milk we used Roundup on ours..twice...and its still not completely dead.
Have fun
Mad For Muck
Member
- Location
- Midlands
Im glad I wasnt the only one that got thinking/tempted/dreaming about miscanthus after watching those dvds
@agricrob
Member
- Location
- Gloucestershire
We have been growing Miscanthus for 9 years, we are happy with the crop. We cut and bale into heston bales and then sell it to http://www.terravesta.com/ on contract.
J B
Member
- Location
- Shrops/Staffs/Cheshire borders
humblefarmer
Member
All very interesting, ironically this was discussed at last meeting.
Quotes of 4444 kWh / ton on their site, does anyone know how true that may be?
Quotes of 4444 kWh / ton on their site, does anyone know how true that may be?
- Location
- south staffs
Andy lea at terravesta would be able to help been miscanthus agronomist for the last ten years and offers buy back contracts number 07540193971
Mad For Muck
Member
- Location
- Midlands
What would you typically get in t/ha with miscanthus? bit of a needle in a haystack question I know
The more I think about it the more tempted I get by it, but the 2 things that put me off a bit is the cost to establish it in the first place & how hard it is to get rid of if you wanted to put the land back into cereals or grass
@agricrob
Member
- Location
- Gloucestershire
We would average 14/ha. establishment is not cheap but it was worth it for us. Is there still grants about for 50% of the establishment cost. It is easy to get rid of. We took out one field last year. We sprayed it once and cultivated twice has not grown back.
Just found this thread as we are thinking of putting in 20ha to feed our biomass boiler instead of wheat straw as straw burns around 3500kwh but the figures quoted for miscanthus suggest closer to 4500kwh per tonne.
However we would want to chop it prior to baling to allow easier feeding up an auger into the boiler.
However we would want to chop it prior to baling to allow easier feeding up an auger into the boiler.
frustratedfarmer
Member
What boiler do you have? From what I have heard if it's not batch burning it wraps terrible, like linseed