Mid Wales Permaculture Network

gorse is great as shelter and windbreak, and fixes nitrogen in the soil, but where can I get some? Don't think I should be digging it up on the hills, but don't see it in nurseries. Ideas/offers welcome.

Hi Roz,

Here's a couple of links for nurseries selling gorse :

www.hedging.co.uk/acatalog/product_10193.html
www.ashridgetrees.co.uk/Gorse-Ulex-europaeus

and another one if you fancy trying to collect seed and grow your own :

www.konsk.co.uk/resource/gorse.htm

Hope you find something of use.

Steve

thanks Steve. Have successfully ordered lots of gorse from the Hedging people.

I should also say that the second of the two websites Steve posted is really good on everything you want to know about the uses, types and habits of gorse - and it's by Chris Dixon, Permaculture guru at Tyr Penhros Isaf near Dolgellau - from whom I learned so much on our visit there on my PDC. Recommended reading!

Hi there, great to see this site. I have also just set up a shropshire permaculture site.
Naturescape.co.uk has heaps of native plants that come mail order as really healthy plugs. Including gorse and all sorts.
Check them out.

Hi all,

Some good links for buying gorse. I find them pretty easy to start from seed. Best collected towards the end of summer when the pods pop in the heat. I start the seed in a saucer of water with a few layers of tissue paper. Pop the seeds on the damp paper and they sprout in a few days to a week or so. Pick them off with a matchstick or similar and pop them in a pot of compost. There best grown on in the pot for a year or more before planting out.

I've also had success with cuttings, about a fingers width thick and 6 to 9 inches long. Treat as with normal hardwood cuttings. The success rate is not brilliant, maybe 10-25% but its very quick and so can be worthwhile.

I'm close to updating the gorse resources on my web site having recently scanned the relevant bits of some of the old books that mention the spiky stuff. It'll shortly go up here;

www.konsk.co.uk/resource/gorse.htm

Unfortunately this cold weather and snow is not good for gorse- hard frosts can kill the plants, especially if they are the European variety rather than native. Also, because they're evergreen, the weight of snow can break the stems. I'm expecting to find evidence of die back when we eventually get a thaw. Hope you're all keeping warm!

Hwyl pawb!

Chris