Dead Ash

[crappiemiser]

Anyone know how long the ash trees take before they start to get bad once infected with EAB? I cut some early this spring and the ones that were dead were already starting to get really light. I was driving to Chicago Monday and noticed about every single ash tree I saw along I-80 was either dead or almost dead. There's going to be so much ash available shortly, just wonder how long it will last?

 

[Marine5068]

We've had our Ash trees here in GTA (greater Toronto area) decimated for over 7 years now. It's been a real problem in north America for over 10. In the GTA alone over 100,000 Ash trees have been removed from boulevards as the primary shade tree there. Officials have certain rules about not transporting them and most are ground up on the spot.
it's affected most of North America with no way to effectively stop the pests in site.

 

[JeffHK454]

Anyone know how long the ash trees take before they start to get bad once infected with EAB? I cut some early this spring and the ones that were dead were already starting to get really light. I was driving to Chicago Monday and noticed about every single ash tree I saw along I-80 was either dead or almost dead. There's going to be so much ash available shortly, just wonder how long it will last?

I've got no less than a dozen standing dead Ash around my property that have been completely leafless for maybe four years and they still seem solid. I keep them in vertical storage because I just don't have room for all the wood.
There's so much Ash laying around in piles , rotting on the stump or getting ground up its crazy...

 

[Khntr85]

Yes absolutely sickening that this damn big has done.... Let's just hope the some of these ash trees adapt and can survive threw this.... Would be a real shame to completely wipe them out.... I love to burn ash, but do not like seeing them die and waste away!!!!!

 

[KenJax Tree]

By the time you notice it in decline its already to late.

 

[Supreme Being]

How long does it take for a tree to die once EAB has arrived?

None here yet, but only a matter of time.

 

[KenJax Tree]

How long does it take for a tree to die once EAB has arrived?

None here yet, but only a matter of time.

Usually within 2 years of noticing symptoms of EAB most of the crown will be dead and within 4-5 years the whole tree will be dead.

 

[JeffHK454]

Mine went from full looking and healthy to dead in maybe three growing seasons..

 

[GrassGuerilla]

http://m.stltoday.com/news/local/me...cle_78a39113-7f16-5a1b-994f-2015ad3cfc48.html

City has plans to remove 15,000 ash trees.

 

[TimberWolf530]

I have taken some that were dead standing for 3 years, and the wood was still perfectly good. It depends on the situation of the particular tree, but Ash is a pretty hard wood, and doesn't seem to decay quickly. I've taken over a dozen from my yard, and have 3 left that will need to be taken down this year. That's the last of my Ash trees. Sucks because Ash is one of my favorites to burn.

 

[crappiemiser]

I have taken some that were dead standing for 3 years, and the wood was still perfectly good

That's what I was looking for..
It's really sad to see that many trees dead and looking at most in town and knowing it's only a matter of time before they will be gone. What do most people in the Midwest recommend to plant if a person wants a tree for shade these days?

 

[TimberWolf530]

Well, Oaks seem to be pretty disease resistant, but they grow slow. Silver maples grow quickly, and get huge, but they're a pretty soft wood if you plan on ever burning them. American Elm have a nice big canopy, but they're Elm, so not so good to split if you need to. Sugar Maple grows fairly quickly, and is a hard wood that actually has a better canopy for shade that an ash anyway. I've planted a couple of them to make up for the Ash loss. I'm thinking I may try to find some Ash too.

 

[Khntr85]

Ash gets real hard when it stands after it dies.... It's like hickory not as much moisture as other woods when wet and growing!!!!

 

[sawjunky23]

Well, Oaks seem to be pretty disease resistant, but they grow slow. Silver maples grow quickly, and get huge, but they're a pretty soft wood if you plan on ever burning them. American Elm have a nice big canopy, but they're Elm, so not so good to split if you need to. Sugar Maple grows fairly quickly, and is a hard wood that actually has a better canopy for shade that an ash anyway. I've planted a couple of them to make up for the Ash loss. I'm thinking I may try to find some Ash too.

Silver Maples have a nice canopy but the downside is they seem to break off very easy in storms. I like Red Maples, Autum Blaze Maples and Norway Maple's for shade. I also like Red and Pin Oak.

 

[TedyOH]

Pin Oak here as well, grows really fast in the right soil, just cut a dead one last year my grandmother planted it when my brother was born (40 years ago), it was 34" in diameter at the base of the trunk.

 

[Fred Wright]

If you want to see what the EAB has wrought, take a drive along the Pennsy Turnpike. Miles and miles of dead and dying ash trees.

Not much good for lumber once the EAB has gotten to it. But for firewood, it's fine. Standing dead is always good and ash tends to season within a year split anyhow.

+1 on the suggestion of pin oak for shade trees. They're tough and can withstand rough weather. I personally don't recommend maples due to the root system. Maples tend to extend roots at topsoil level making for a rough lawn.

 

[alleyyooper]

I have 7 acres of woods on my property and about 5 more of wood on the neighbors property who doesn't burn wood.
When I moved in here I had a whole bunch of sugar maples in the woods damaged in a ice storm that were nearly top less. I cut all them down and burnt it, Then I started in on all the trees that had holes in them or were bent and would not make decent wood for any thing except the heating fire .

About 2000 the many and beautiful ash started dying, tops lost their leaves during the summer and had a whole bunch of seeds. The next summer suckers popped out up and down the trunks that is when I started cutting my winters needs from them. I was told at the time About 2002 by the local county extension office if I peeled the bark I could cut lumber from them but loggers didn't want to buy them so it became fire wood. I am still cutting the standing dead trees for fire wood.
In my woods I start in cutting what comes down in the summer storms first. They seem to start getting punky at the bottom 2 feet first and after that 2 feet will be hard as a base ball bat. I have stuff still standing dead after about 14 years. Many times they comedown in a storm because the roots died and rotted away, other times they break off in that first two feet where they tend to rot. I figure I have about two more years left to harvest and burn before I have to cut Oaks and Maples. I have been picking up acorns when they fall and with a shape stick go about the woods and poking hole and dropping a acorn in it. Just about every spot in my wood nota trail or an area where there were no Ash I have small ash seedlings from just ankle high to some area waist high.
Weather they live a long life or not I have no Idea. Where do those F*** In Ash Bores go when they have killed off a woods?

For shade trees we have planted honey and sunburst locus.

Al

 

[Wood Doctor]

I have 7 acres of woods on my property and about 5 more of wood on the neighbors property who doesn't burn wood.
When I moved in here I had a whole bunch of sugar maples in the woods damaged in a ice storm that were nearly top less. I cut all them down and burnt it, Then I started in on all the trees that had holes in them or were bent and would not make decent wood for any thing except the heating fire .

About 2000 the many and beautiful ash started dying, tops lost their leaves during the summer and had a whole bunch of seeds. The next summer suckers popped out up and down the trunks that is when I started cutting my winters needs from them. I was told at the time About 2002 by the local county extension office if I peeled the bark I could cut lumber from them but loggers didn't want to buy them so it became fire wood. I am still cutting the standing dead trees for fire wood.
In my woods I start in cutting what comes down in the summer storms first. They seem to start getting punky at the bottom 2 feet first and after that 2 feet will be hard as a base ball bat. I have stuff still standing dead after about 14 years. Many times they comedown in a storm because the roots died and rotted away, other times they break off in that first two feet where they tend to rot. I figure I have about two more years left to harvest and burn before I have to cut Oaks and Maples. I have been picking up acorns when they fall and with a shape stick go about the woods and poking hole and dropping a acorn in it. Just about every spot in my wood nota trail or an area where there were no Ash I have small ash seedlings from just ankle high to some area waist high.
Weather they live a long life or not I have no Idea. Where do those F*** In Ash Bores go when they have killed off a woods?

For shade trees we have planted honey and sunburst locus.

Al

No one knows where they go. It's a mystery beetle. Many ash tress have been killed off by people thinking that the EAB is the cause when it is not. Some ash trees have a bad year and come back strong the following year. The eriophyid mite gaul that produces the cancerous looking chunks hanging from the branches has nothing to do with the EAB. They are ugly but rarely fatal. Limbs will die from them but not the whole tree.

 

[CaseyForrest]

We are about 4 years past the height of the EAB, maybe a little longer.

I have noticed quite a few ash coming back from the roots. Itll be interesting to see if they make a comeback. But there is still a mess of standing dead ash.

 

[cuinrearview]

We are about 4 years past the height of the EAB, maybe a little longer.

I have noticed quite a few ash coming back from the roots. Itll be interesting to see if they make a comeback. But there is still a mess of standing dead ash.

Uuuhhhhh......http://www.inspection.gc.ca/plants/...ash-borer/faq/eng/1337355937903/1337356019017

I still see some partially leafed out ash trees here, about an hour from you, but it ain't trees coming back. They remind me of Connor MacGregor's face right before he tapped Nate Diaz's forearm in their first fight.

I truly hope ten years from now you can tell me I was wrong but the only thing I worry about the borer now is which species of tree they will have to adapt to killing next.