tortoise Posted March 3, 2017 Posted March 3, 2017 I would like some Paulownia Seed i am in North Fort Myers and want to make charcoal for BP. I am also interested in anything that grows locally that would make good charcoal.
Boophoenix Posted March 4, 2017 Posted March 4, 2017 The pods drop their seeds in late fall. Unless someone saved some might be a rare find.
OldMarine Posted March 4, 2017 Posted March 4, 2017 If you're in Florida I'd make sure it's not a crime to plant non-native species. Japanese Honeysuckle was planted there years ago and has been, if not as flamboyant as Kudzu, more invasive and strangling on the edges and open areas of woodlands throughout the South. I'd buy Pawlonia charcoal and experiment with local woods in the interim.Ned mentioned in the random chat thread how his Ash trees had been killed by Ash Borers. Those critters didn't start eating Ash trees until we'd imported a tree (can't remember which) that not only harbored them but favored their growth Once the trees started sucking up our soil nutrients and unique chems it was game on and the bugs have run amok.We have several billion Starlings in the US, causing several diseases including Histoplasmosis, caused by some Shakespeare lovers' desire to import every bird mentioned in the Bard's works.Look at the Everglades that are now full of Boas, Pythons and even an Anaconda. None are native and therefore have no natural predators so are becoming overpoweringly invasive.All that said my final advice would be to try every willow, juniper and pine for coal but buy the Pawlonia.2 cents won't buy squat but save them up!
Mumbles Posted March 4, 2017 Posted March 4, 2017 There are places online to get seeds and cuttings. Even Amazon and Ebay. Just be aware you probably need to be into this for the long haul before it pays off. They're very pretty, but you might be looking at 2-3 years before you can start harvesting. They grow quick and all, but unless you're trying to cut down the whole tree, it'll be a bit before there's enough decent sized branches to sufficiently supply charcoal. They grow 10-15ft a year. I don't know the varieties, but there's probably something local that will do. What sort of things grow around you? Generally fast growing, lightweight woods tend to be best for fast BP. If you're interested in paulownia I assume that's what you're looking for. Things like willow, plum, ash, cottonwood, alder, aspen, poplar, and similar things tend to be quick.
dynomike1 Posted March 4, 2017 Posted March 4, 2017 I would think there is Black willow down there. Black willow loves water. Get close to a pond or river you should find them. This ought to help you find an alternativehttp://creagan.net/fireworks/charcoal_tests.html.
pyroman2498 Posted March 4, 2017 Posted March 4, 2017 What ever happened to Al? He would know a good bit and could supply you with some ..
FlaMtnBkr Posted March 4, 2017 Posted March 4, 2017 It is illegal to knowingly plant paulownia and many other invasive plants in Florida. I know it's easy to say you can't tell me what I do on my own land but you will never be able to contain nature and one plant can end up doing a unimaginable amounts of damage. Though probably not as much as developers and greed. But if it weren't for the nature around us we wouldn't exist and if you can find a naturally growing alternative it really is the best thing to do. Every wet spot in Florida that isn't saltwater has black willow growing in and around it. There doesn't even have to be standing water and just a constant mucky area. I see it growing on the side of the road in ditches on just about every road at some point and once you know what it looks like you see it everywhere. Many of the guys in FPAG use Chinaberry for charcoal which is another invasive tree that is commonly found. I haven't tried it myself but it is supposed to be plenty hot. I've tried about a dozen different plants I have growing around my property and about 3/4 of them made BP that is hotter than Goex according to my FPAG BP tester and many were as hot as black willow if not a little more so. It can actually be fun to try a bunch of different stuff to see how hot you can get. And paulownia isn't the end all, be all of charcoal and many guys have tried stuff that is hotter if you were just looking for the best. I think some ERC pet bedding has tested hotter than the P charcoal for some. And I think balsa is usually agreed upon to be about the hottest you can make. Even newspaper is reported to be hotter than many things. Anyways, hopefully you can find something else to be your source for hot charcoal. 1
lloyd Posted March 4, 2017 Posted March 4, 2017 Thanks! That needed to be said, FLA. Paulownia is patently illegal to plant anywhere in Florida. It has been so since the early 1990s. Each tree sends out MILLIONS of seeds every year, and native plants don't normally have the resources to compete with the seedlings. Florida is (fortunately) filled with native species and past-introduced invasive ones that are ideally-suited to making BP charcoal. There's no reason to pollute our state any more than it already is. I've won several golf gun contests with black willow, properly cooked. Lloyd 1
dynomike1 Posted March 4, 2017 Posted March 4, 2017 Al was a builder. in Ky. that i bought m Paulownia from, that all of a sudden dropped off the grid. Nobody knows why. 1
tortoise Posted March 5, 2017 Author Posted March 5, 2017 According to the internet Salix nagra only comes from the panhandle of Florida i live in south west florida.
OldMarine Posted March 5, 2017 Posted March 5, 2017 I was in south Florida after Hurricane Andrew living in a tent. I was never more than 100 feet from a willow branch to shore up a tent pole or strut and this was at Homestead which had the grass ripped away by he storm.Look closer.
lloyd Posted March 5, 2017 Posted March 5, 2017 Tortoise, it grows throughout the Southeast, from the bottom tip of the main peninsula of Florida, to all the way up through middle North Carolina, and as far west as Missouri. It's a fast-growing 'weed'. You cannot miss it, once you have seen it. Lloyd
FlaMtnBkr Posted March 7, 2017 Posted March 7, 2017 Here is a pic showing black willow up close: http://www.treeconsult.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Black-Willow-at-St.-James-Park-3-8-05-1024x682.jpg Here is what it can look like in a roadside ditch: http://treeplantflowerid.com/documents/Black_Willow.jpg It really can be found everywhere there is a moist spot across most of the US but especially the SE. Is there a reason you were looking for paulownia in particular? Have you made your own charcoal before? It's my experience that just about anything you make into charcoal yourself will be hotter than commercial airfloat and capable of making BP quite a bit hotter than Goex. Even white pine 2x4s will make fairly hot BP. Pick thru a stack and look for the pieces that weigh the least and are the least dense. You also want the stuff that is closer to white in color than yellow and you definitely don't want pressure treated. I've made BP that is close to the strength of that made with willow that I got picking thru a construction dumpster. Also, search for the thread on newspaper for charcoal. It was claimed to be surprisingly hot! If you are having any problems maybe we can help? Just ask.
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