GAS-L: Gel fuel and much more from cattails

["David Reynolds-Lacey" <d.rl@virgin.net>]

Daniel,

"Coppicing" cattails? - now that is interesting.

I am assuming that you would require to continue harvesting the cattails as
a renewable energy source rather than use them on a once every-so-often
basis.

Harvesting cattails by pulling them out by the roots may be counter-
productive if you wished to continue vigorous growth for future harvesting.
The continued removal of soil with the roots may also eventually increase
the depth of the water to point where the cattails would not survive,
although this would take some time and may be replaced by normal silting in
any event. Cattails also have special cells (aerenchyma) that allow the
transfer of oxygen to the rhizome during the dormant period, damaging these
by deep shearing or discing, especially combined with deepening water could
also eventually destroy the crop -  in fact it is a better method of control
than using glyphosate!

I am sure that you have mentioned that you have severe frozen "early"
winters in your part of the US so one method of harvesting you could
consider is to wait until it is frozen and go on and cut them with a
reciprocating cutter or a disc, this will also protect the rhizomes from
damage. Of course, this method will only work until global warming takes
full effect!

Regards,

David


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