So i have about 10 acres to clear cut for a guy and I was woundering if spring is an good time or is summer to late to let it dry or what you guys think? or will it not even dry in time. I never have cut live trees for fire wood so I dont know much about it. thanks
Best time to cut live trees for next years heating time?
- Thread starter MS-310
- Start date
Help Support Arborist Forum:
Husky137
Addicted to ArboristSite
The sooner the better.
sredlin
ArboristSite Operative
cut, split and stack off the ground ASAP
your about a month too late, depending of course what type of trees were talking, you want to get them cut before the sap starts to move back up into the tree
tawilson
Addicted to ArboristSite
Has anyone ever tried cutting the trees during the summer and leaving the leaves on to draw moisture out of the tree? I have, but I can't say how much of a difference it made.
stonykill
ArboristSite Guru
thats always been my understanding......but I never get to do it. I like to try to cut in december, if there isn't too much snow on the ground. I would cut in november, but I don't think hunting with a chainsaw is a good idea
- Joined
- Dec 10, 2004
- Messages
- 2,095
- Reaction score
- 277
I have. My Father-in-law is having me remove about 150 Ash trees from his land. They are interspersed around some huge, 100 year old cottonwoods on about 10 acres of a homestead site. It is probably not fair to judge since it's Ash, but I wait until fully leafed(if I can't cut in the fall) and they sit for a few weeks(until I can get back to them). I split it right away, so I can burn it after January thinking it is about dry. I don't know if it would be any different if I cut it in the spring.
It is not my preferred way of getting wood. I prefer it in the fall/winter, but you take what you get. I am just glad to cut all those trees out for free! I really get to practice my felling technique.
Hmmm...cutting the ash out and leaving the cottonwood? Seems it should be the other way around as ash is good for a lot of things but cottonwood for almost nothing except looks.
Harry K
PA Plumber
Addicted to ArboristSite
thats always been my understanding......but I never get to do it. I like to try to cut in december, if there isn't too much snow on the ground. I would cut in november, but I don't think hunting with a chainsaw is a good idea
Depends on if you are hunt'n trees or not!!
A fiend of mine who is a certified arborist told me to make a kurf cut around the base of the live trees I wanted to take for firewood. He said the leaves will suck the moisture out, then fell and buck in the Fall.
emerald ash borer
In that location you would be removing the ash to help stop/avoid aiding the bugs spreading. Not saying that is why he has choosen to do that but it would explain why the ash was first on ths list.
In that location you would be removing the ash to help stop/avoid aiding the bugs spreading. Not saying that is why he has choosen to do that but it would explain why the ash was first on ths list.
In short, I would get on cutting and splitting immediately if Fall '07/Winter '08 is when you plan to burn. Even then, some of the species which take a longer time to dry will not be ready for the coming heating season (unless you use an OWB, which will burn anything).
Back in mid February the trash truck hit a small branch on a maple in front of my house, ripping it clean off. It has been gushing liquid out of the wound ever since. And when it got cold out, the liquid being expelled froze into a huge icicle. This year, in Michigan, I think the sap started flowing months ago; it was a wierd winter.
It does make a difference, especially on smaller (<6") material.
Back in mid February the trash truck hit a small branch on a maple in front of my house, ripping it clean off. It has been gushing liquid out of the wound ever since. And when it got cold out, the liquid being expelled froze into a huge icicle. This year, in Michigan, I think the sap started flowing months ago; it was a wierd winter.
It does make a difference, especially on smaller (<6") material.
Haywire Haywood
Fiscal Conservative Social Retard
I would think that the dead of winter when the sap is down would start you out with dryer firewood and also give it longer to finish drying before you need it the following winter.
Ian
Ian
WoodBurner44
ArboristSite Lurker
I have cut trees for firewood in the spring and summer and let them lie full length. Spring cut trees will leaf out and and draw a lot of moisture from the wood. The leaves of the summer cut trees will draw even more sap from the wood. When the leaves dry out it is time to cut, split and stack.
I find this method very effective in speeding the drying of firewood from trees not cut when the sap is down.
Forest Steward
ArboristSite Member
I would think anytime in winter would be a good way to go. The moisture won't really escape during that time since it will be frozen in it, but if you have it split by the time the thaw begins, you'll get the max. time for drying. Another problem cutting now as the sap runs is it loosens the bark off the trees. This makes it very easy to rip off and damage the trees you want to leave standing. It hasn't quite gotten to that point around here, but it won't be long.
tawilson
Addicted to ArboristSite
Then it might be better to wait a couple months to cut as opposed to now with the trees full of sap? Just going back to the original posters question.
winter cut wood is ALWAYS BETTER than any other
i like it cause of no dirt & fast dry
so do my customers:hmm3grin2orange:
i like it cause of no dirt & fast dry
so do my customers:hmm3grin2orange:
stumpjumper83
ArboristSite Operative
best time to cut it for next year was last year...
I would wait till the grow leaves, then cut them and let them lay till the leaves brown up. Split and stack in full sunlight right after and the should be ok by December
Similar threads
