Planting

It is a basic requirement towards plantations created for energetic purposes that they shall be sustainable for at least 5 years, regarding producing the energetical raw material. One mustn't neglect the AK ("Gold Crown") value of the arable either, because an energy plantation shall be established only on arables where the profitableness of arable farming is not certain, where one cannot safely achieve profitable yields with cereal or other cultures.

The land to be planted must be cleaned during the previous autumn, all perennial and one-year-old weed must be removed. For this purpose a complete clearing is reasonable. After the weed killer had its effect (2-3 weeks) the land must be harrowed, then ploughed middle-deep. Ploughing must be closed in all cases, before the first frost, because the soil conditions do not make this possible later. A good farmer can only expect high yield if the plantation was properly prepared and chosen. And Virginia sida is the really good choice.

The plantation can be established via open ground sowing, growing and bedding out seedlings and via a spring cutting and planting of the scion root of the already existing, 1-2-year old plantation.

The pH-value of the ideal soil is between 5,5-7,5. A Virginia sida plantation for the purpose of renewable energy shall be established via planting 50-65 thousand stools/ha.