best time to cut theory

Yes, I was amazed to read the same thing (in a 1970's wood burning book), that moisture in the tree is lower in summer than in winter. I'm not sure I buy that.

I do believe that cutting a tree with leaves on and letting it lay for a couple of weeks does help dry it out as the leaves suck the moisture out of the tree.

Ken

I cannot imagine that leaves would dry wood out faster than wood that has been cut,split and stacked in the sun.
Mike

I dont find this true. You can cut a tree on a hot summer day and within hours the leaves are curling up and within a week the leaves are brown and dead.

Not sure if this thread applies to what you are asking but here is a similar topic I ask about some time ago.

I did quite a bit of research on this and I am convinced there are certain times each month that sap is down.

I have actually seen water pour out of trees at times other than new moon phase.

All my wood has been cut on the new moon phases.............and I just had my best season ever of burning super dry wood.



https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/2416/


Robbie

This is all really simple!

While it is somewhat true that if you cut a tree during the summer months, then you should leave it until the leaves dry. The reason for this is that the leaves will try to draw the sap from the tree. However, there will still be more sap in the tree than there is when the tree is dormant in the winter months. And while it is true that the hot summer months will dry the sap fast, why not stack your wood with less sap and have the whole spring and summer to finish drying the wood?

The very best time to cut a tree is also the very best time to prune trees. You will notice that pruning is advised during the dormant time of the tree. The reason for this is if you prune when the tree is not dormant, sap will leak out of the pruning spot. If you prune when the tree is dormant, you will not have that problem. The reason, of course, is that the sap just is not there.

So cut the tree when it is dormant, stack the wood and let Mother Nature remove what moisture is remaining in the wood. Simple and easy.

Another great benefit of cutting wood during the winter is that for most folks, they just do not get as much exercise in the winter as they do in the summer. Cutting firewood gets them out in the outdoors and gives them some much needed heavy exercise. For example, I had an interesting day yesterday. I raked some stones off the neighbor's grass (I take care of her lawn) that the snowplow throws up on the lawn. Then I split some wood. Mid afternoon the weather had warmed into our first 60 degree day this year. So, I went on a 12 mile bicycle ride. During that ride I saw a fellow who I haven't talked with for several years. He did not look good and told me he had a stroke just a couple weeks ago. Two miles further down the road I saw another fellow and stopped to talk to him. He is anticipating heart surgery. Wow. Then I got to thinking. Both these guys are retired and neither burn wood, or walk or....no exercise to speak of during the winter. I wonder what they were thinking when they saw this retired silver haired guy riding his bicycle and smiling all the way? Interesting day to say the least.

You are right Dave. We could really start a new thread on this topic! I'll think on that and maybe start one. Keep watch. btw, I am 65...and still riding bike. My wife says I should act my age, so I do the best I can....

Backwoods Savage said:

However, there will still be more sap in the tree than there is when the tree is dormant in the winter months

The very best time to cut a tree is also the very best time to prune trees. You will notice that pruning is advised during the dormant time of the tree. The reason for this is if you prune when the tree is not dormant, sap will leak out of the pruning spot. If you prune when the tree is dormant, you will not have that problem. The reason, of course, is that the sap just is not there.

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I think you are right and the book I mentioned is wrong. After all, they don't tap sugar maples in the dead of winter, they wait until the sap returns as spring approaches.

Another great benefit of cutting wood during the winter is that for most folks, they just do not get as much exercise in the winter as they do in the summer. Cutting firewood gets them out in the outdoors and gives them some much needed heavy exercise... Then I got to thinking. Both these guys are retired and neither burn wood, or walk or....no exercise to speak of during the winter.

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I agree. Unfortunately, winter here is usually mud season and it can get too slippery to cut and haul wood. But I agree with you about the need to get out during winter. That's one of the reasons I like having horses, it at least forces me to get outside a little bit, no matter what the weather. It's way to easy to stay inside during the dreary, nasty winter weather when one is retired.

Ken

Ken, we sure could have used a horse or two this winter. Mud is not our problem though, it was too deep of snow, but the horses could have worked okay. Just imagine, cut some logs, skid them out to where it is easier working on higher ground... Ah, better than a John Deere.

Backwoods Savage said:

Ken, we sure could have used a horse or two this winter. Mud is not our problem though, it was too deep of snow, but the horses could have worked okay. Just imagine, cut some logs, skid them out to where it is easier working on higher ground... Ah, better than a John Deere.

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There is a difference between a run of the mill saddle horse and a trained logging hitch. But the big draft horses are neat!

OTOH, the horse market has crashed and horses are dirt cheap these days in many areas.

Ken

Just think of it like this..When do us maple syrup producers tap our trees? mid witner or early spring..If you guess early spring then you are correct, jsut before the sap starts to really run, which for us is we like to have all of our taps in by the first week of March

the sap runs because of the temperature difference between day and night.
the sugar has sat in the cells all Winter.
The sap/water only runs up the tubes just under the bark. The heartwood is pretty much useless IIRC.
The trees expire in the Summer and the pressure diference between the cells keep a small water flow going. There's also not much sugar in Summer sap if my taste buds remember correctly.

the leaves (and the failing cellular structure may evacuate water from the tubes until there is no more pressure differential, but I doubt the leaves suck anything out of the heartwood.

It's always been my experience that small splits dry out quicker than big chunks because of evaporitive charachteristics of surface area diffrences.

I think I saw some Maples hooked up to vacumn tubes once instead of traditional buckets.
Or some weird experiment was going on.

yes, some producers do have a vacume system

The best time to cut is when I've got the time, except mid-summer when it's too hot to cut for long. Actually do most, but not all, cutting from Sept until the snow is too deep to get into the woods. Will still drop trees in the full winter, but not buck until I can get back in the woods. We dry for three summers, so moisture/sap in wood makes no difference. Extra sap, to extent it is more than water, actually may result in more btu's in the wood (?).

I've cut both the ways Dave P does and if I had my druthers I'd would still rather cut in the winter when the trees are dormant and you don't have to dick with the vegetation or 'wait a minute' vines plus the ground is frozen.

Truthfully though once your ahead of the game ...any extra time that works out for you is a good time to cut. Sometimes friends will show up in the summer just to 'help' out cause they think this thing we do is fun.

So we'll drop a couple 3 or 4 trees, limb, cut and split all the while enjoying a barbecue and adult beverages. I throw an old tarp over a selected piece of ground and just let the splits weather for as long as it takes. I really don't like to do that in the summer but 'many hands make lite work' ...and we all have a good time.

WELL, in addition to burning alot of brush this weekend, I will probably drop a half a dozen scrub cherry trees that are in need of coming down. probably get close to a cord out of them

Another reason not to cut during the sap season (summer) is the prevalence of some pests that are damaging or even fatal to trees. In my area we have a problem with pine bark beatles which have killed tons of pine trees. Many tree experts in this area advise not cutting when the sap is high because a downed sappy tree will actually attract the bugs to the area, potentially exposing your healthy trees to danger. It's a good idea to ask around about any tree damaging pests in your area before you cut.

kb