Poplar time

I burned a bunch of it 2 years ago and to was fine for shoulder season wood, but a bit ashy. The fresh rounds weighed a ton and spurted water from both sides of the wedge as I drove it in. The tulip splits were as heavy as oak splits of equal size. A few months in the sun and wind the splits where light as a feather. Wild coloring in the fresh splits too.

I normally wouldn't take tulip because I have easy access to better wood, it but the neighborhood "Little 'O Lady" had a big one she wanted down so I took it down for her and cleaned up her yard as well.

only a few months? Is it dry? If so - sounds like a good plan

BobUrban said:

only a few months? Is it dry? If so - sounds like a good plan

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I was splitting tulip and aspen in May that has already been burned. I think Aspen is "seasoned standing".

its a very wet wood green but does tend to dry fast, not sure it'd be ready if it was just cut a few months ago. I'd think it'd need at least 6 months.

KindredSpiritzz said:

I'd think it'd need at least 6 months

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Yep that would be about right. I put it down, split and stacked in early March and didn't burn it until late October or early November. To me anything less than a year to season is "just a few months."

I've been burning nothing but white pine and poplar (aspen) since October. Both are measuring 15% and burning great. Now that cold weather is here it's time to switch to a maple and oak mix.

I just had 3 poplars taken down on my property. (lombardy poplar i think) I was told its hardly worth the effort of splitting and stacking for the purposes of burning inside. Bare in mind i'll burn most wood within reason. As long as its seasoned. I was going to just keep it for my outside fire pit, but might put some aside for inside now.

My woods are 25% poplar (aspen) and they don't hold up to wind. I end up with about a cord every year. Starts easy and drys well in so-so weather. I can still get 16 hr burns from it during the shoulder season.

I think it's a really beautiful wood. It's inexpensive, easy to work, takes a stain really well and has a lot of interesting color -- like the greens and grays and reds you can see in your splits.

You can burn the furnishings when I'm done with them.

Some of what they call Poplar elsewhere in the US is pretty poor wood. But if you
get your hands on Tulip (Yellow) Poplar, it is worth taking IMO. I'm burning quite a
lot of it the past couple of years. We had some come down right in our yard after
a big storm. It was some pretty big timber that fell. Sure glad it didn't hit my house!

I have also gotten a lot of Oak, mostly Red Oak, but did get about a half cord of
White Oak in that storm, too. I like to give it 2-3 years to really season well. It is
worth the wait.

It is good to mix a better wood like Oak in with the Tulip. That's what I've done
mostly, although it is no problem to burn all Tulip. In my stove it doesn't seem to
get out of hand like a batch of pure Pine wood. Mixing wood is a good thing when
using the hotter burning stuff.

Tulip produces rather poor coals. Mixed with Oak, you get much better coaling for
easy restarts. Also Tulip produces a rather bulky, fluffy ash- but it tamps down
compact with your shovel. When starting a new fire, I always tamp it down well
if I was burning Tulip the previous day.

In all Tulip is an excellent wood. Underrated, I think. Do I prefer Oak? Yes indeed!
But Tulip is worth the trouble IMO. Great shoulder season wood.

We dont have Tulip up in my area of NY, just at the lumber yards.
It was one of Thomas Jeffersons favorite trees. There is a Tulip poplar planted on the front lawns of Monticello. Planted by Jefferson himself. Tulip trivia....