Ash borer question.

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Mustang71

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So is there any chance of survival for these small ash trees like 2 or 3 inches in diameter? Seems like they are not touched. Does the ash borer move through the area or are they here to stay for the rest of existence?

I usually try to not disturb little trees when cutting but if they are going to die I'll just cut them down when I'm near them. It seems like pine trees, or whatever species they are, are slowly taking over the woods as these ash trees die. I dont want these little ash trees to intrude on them because I want some sort of woods hiding my house from the road.
 
They do attack the little ones but if they are alive, I'd leave them. I'd heard they will come back after the EAB die off in the area. Don't know what will prevent them coming back except they won't have as much to feed on. I'm still waiting for the Honeysuckle moth and Poison Ivy blight to make it way throughout the U.S. :rock:
 
So something that will attack poison ivy? I googled it and it seems like there's some fungus. I have poison ivy vines as big as my arm on some of these ash trees. For a while I thought that was what was killing them until I did the research.

I said that in jest. I wish there was something that took out stuff we don't want as opposed to taking out things we'd like to have around. :dancing:
 
After clearing my woods of every EAB affected ash tree, leaving the few that survived the infestation, there were no signs of EAB activity for 3~4 years. This fall fresh woodpecker activity led me to find live larva in a 3" tree. I've found larva in 3/4" diameter branches. Not sure, but I'm leaning toward taking everything. I think EAB will always be with us now.
 
I bought this place 6 years ago and it was all trees, well now there's ash trees dieing all around my house and with hundreds of trees on my property there's no way I could pay to have someone take them down. The ones with no risks are no big deal the others take some thinking. That's y I'm wondering about the small ones that still look ok.
 
They're coming down one way or another. I took out the ones nearest buildings and trails first for safety. Then worked on the ones farther in the woods averaging 13 federal cord a year for 7 years.
 
They're coming down one way or another. I took out the ones nearest buildings and trails first for safety. Then worked on the ones farther in the woods averaging 13 federal cord a year for 7 years.

This is pretty much what I'm asking about. Saftey is my concern. If they are going to die then I'd rather take them down while they are small before they are a pain to take down and a risk to my power, house, or barn. The ones not near anything I dont care about. I would like these pines to grow more though.

I cut wood for my heat so cutting baby trees does me no good.
 
If your wanting good foliage cover and you prefer the pines, then I would go ahead and get rid of them now while there small and make room for the pines. Besides, the ash trees may die sooner or later anyway.
 
As they age they will die. There is some "youthful" resistance as they can grow through some borer damage due to that vigor of youth. They will succumb to continued borer attacks as they age.
I keep hearing things like that. But, my 33 year-old ash tree is doing fine. I have no intention of removing it and neither do any of my neighbors. I think it all depends upon where the tree is growing.
 
So say you had large ash trees growing around your house would you take them down if they show no signs of infection? Half of the mid sized trees are almost dead I'm planning on renting a boom lift to take care of the large ones around my house. I bought this house in the woods because I loved it but I think the writing is on the wall. Maybe I should cut all the ash and let the cherry and maple and pine fill out.

I planned on cutting enough wood each year on my 5 acres to heat my house and not hurt the woods but this ash borer has ruined that idea. Maybe it's time to let the other trees take over. I took a couple dead ash down today.
 
From what I have read, once you see damage to a tree, it is done. Even treatment won't save it. I had a nice woods behind my house that was mainly ash and I, like you, thought I was set. Not that I would cut them live but it was just there for future use. Totally dead around here now. I picked one tree in my yard that showed no signs of damage and am trying to save it. I've treated it for 6 years now and so far, so good. It's about 10 - 12 inches and costs me around $15.00 a year to do so. I just wanted to try. Too costly for the rest though.

Around your house? I would take them down once it is obvious they are on the downhill run. With a boom lift it isn't as bad but dropping whole, dead trees you have the fibers on the hinge cut not being as strong so extra care and thought is needed. The stuff away and safe personally I'd leave standing awhile till needed. that is what I have done. They stay good upright for 3-4 years around here. They loose smaller limbs and make a mess but generally the trunks are fine.

Once they get about half gone they go quick. The trees under will have sunlight to grow as even the ash trees leaves will drop through the spring and summer as they are getting choked out from lack of sap going up. Downside is when you drop them, you may crush a few of your live trees. I roped and cable some of mine and planned the sequence. You can leave high stumps to pull from.

If you don't have one, I'd suggest thinking about getting a Moore Power Pull

MVC-001S_26.JPG


That, some cables and chains and you will be set to have directed pulls to save more damage. they are really a handy tool.
 
I'm thinking about renting a boom lift and topping about 5 or 6 if them that are to close for comfort to the house. At that point they will be 30 feet tall or less with no branches and a lot more manageable. These are big trees around 20 plus inches at the base. I took one down last year with a come a long and a rope and have a few more to do like that. The ones running along the power lines I'm hoping is the power companies problem since they trim trees. I'm not touching those. The ones in the woods can do whatever I'll drag them out when they fall.
 
IMHO the ash borer will move quickly through areas where there are a lot of ash trees. Once they vast majority are dead the pest will die back in total numbers. But there will always be some left to keep killing the trees that are regenerating. This has been the case with elm trees and Dutch elm disease.
 
So say you had large ash trees growing around your house would you take them down if they show no signs of infection? Half of the mid sized trees are almost dead I'm planning on renting a boom lift to take care of the large ones around my house. I bought this house in the woods because I loved it but I think the writing is on the wall. Maybe I should cut all the ash and let the cherry and maple and pine fill out.

I planned on cutting enough wood each year on my 5 acres to heat my house and not hurt the woods but this ash borer has ruined that idea. Maybe it's time to let the other trees take over. I took a couple dead ash down today.
Have the same problem with red oak. Oak wilt is bad here.
 
Mustang71, I just posted some pics in the scrounging thread showing our ash. There was only some visible dead branches this past summer. The wood peckers did this in the last 3 months.


Walk outside at any time and you hear a wood pecker. Lots of the trees had less leaves this year than last year and a few lost all their leaves over the summer. A good amount of them have the bare spots in the bark.

There are the ones I know need to come down then the others that aren't big enough to be an issue but they keep growing they will be.

At least if I top these big ones I can leave the rest standing until i need it or it falls at no risk to anything. I dont want a lot of wood sitting around that i wont use in the next 2 years.
 
Yes, you might as well get a start on them. I've been selling some wood just to "use" it up quicker but there is no way the city folk are going to buy anything with bugs in it. There is no way I'm going to be able to keep up with the wood as it's dying, the bush is about 75 acres and I would guess that it's 1/3 ash so that's a lot of trees. I've cut several 1000 out but there is a huge wet section that is only accessible every couple of years. I made a deal with the owner to get the poplar and dying ash out but it doesn't look like I'm going to be able to keep my end of the bargain. I'm going to have to sell more in log form which I don't like to do because there isn't much profit in it. I'm going to start cutting the bigger ones down and stock pile for my bandsaw and hopefully this summer I will actually start cutting with it.
 
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