Woodpile w/ black mushrooms

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edthedawg

edthedawg

Minister of Fire
Oct 5, 2008
878
Northeast, CT
www.orchardworksct.com
We got 4 cord dropped (mostly oak, plus some birch and maple, all cut & split) in Feb and I got about half of it stacked, the rest been sitting while I've been working on a big interior remodeling job. We've also had easily the coldest, wettest spring in the last 100 years. We got out last night to stack a little of it, and every other piece is coming out w/ rows of big black mushrooms growing in the bark. Worst in the wettest pieces. I didn't get any pictures since it was getting dark - plus I figured I'd find some pix of these online, but I'm not... hmm...

I'm segregating the mushroomy / wet pieces out, to Deal With Later. But it's the dealin' that has me most concerned. Sound like a viable plan to scrape down the mushrooms and give these pieces plenty of sunlight to dry and continue seasoning? (and of course, not even think of burning them til the following winter...)

TIA y'all...
 
Edthedawg said:
We got 4 cord dropped (mostly oak, plus some birch and maple, all cut & split) in Feb and I got about half of it stacked, the rest been sitting while I've been working on a big interior remodeling job. We've also had easily the coldest, wettest spring in the last 100 years. We got out last night to stack a little of it, and every other piece is coming out w/ rows of big black mushrooms growing in the bark. Worst in the wettest pieces. I didn't get any pictures since it was getting dark - plus I figured I'd find some pix of these online, but I'm not... hmm...

I'm segregating the mushroomy / wet pieces out, to Deal With Later. But it's the dealin' that has me most concerned. Sound like a viable plan to scrape down the mushrooms and give these pieces plenty of sunlight to dry and continue seasoning? (and of course, not even think of burning them til the following winter...)

TIA y'all...
Click to expand...

I've got a few mushrooms here and there . . . but I'm thinking optimistically now and thinking the wet, cold weather is behind us. Stack the wood for good air flow, expose to the sun and I suspect the mushrooms will shrivel up and dry up. If you're really concerned, scraping them off can't hurt things. This is assuming that the wood isn't a wet, soppy, punky mess but rather a sound piece of wood which just happens to have mushrooms growing on it.

TIA? Trans-Ischemic Attack? (Mini stroke)?

Temporary Interim Agreement? (Code lingo)?

Ah, never mind . . . figured it out . . . Thanks In Advance.
 
they're freeloaders
take pleasure in burning them in a sterilizing device this Winter.

I find as the wood dries and they dry up they (and the bark) fall off.
maybe not all, but most.
 
billb3 said:
I find as the wood dries and they dry up they (and the bark) fall off. maybe not all, but most.
Click to expand...

Good point: no bark = no shroomage.

Thx guys - yer the bestests. :)
 
I had 4 cords delivered in June. I didn't notice them when I was stacking, but noticed the other day that a few pieces had these black shrooms too. I tried to flick them off like a normal mushroom and they would break off from the bark. Tough as rubber at this point. I suspect the wet month of June was the issue and July and Aug will dry them up.
 
I have not seen much black mushrooms, but I did have a lot of White stuff when the weather was wet. But now after this sunny weekend, and into this sunny week they are almost all but gone.
 
Ed, that is very common, especially in oak. Or should I say it is more uncommon to not find any in oaks. lol It just happens. Worry not.

You'll find oaks as the one wood that seems to turn punky on the outside quite fast and therefore will grow things like that. I've heard of some debarking to get it off but most just throw it into the stove and forget it. That is the treatment it gets around here too. We simply do not worry about it. Stack it up and it will dry.
 
Yes i have found lots of black shrooms on my oak logs too. if i had known it was going to be the wettest spring summer in years i would have left all my piles covered. so far the weather has been dry this week but its only Tuesday. lets hope for the best
 
Thanks for all the replies, everyone. I managed to click off 4 days of planned work in one day (yesterday) and have a few days off starting tomorrow, so hopefully will get all the rest stacked up / cleaned up. still think i'll put the wettest stuff in a sunnier spot for awhile... Unfortunately our Big Honkin' Shed (TM) is under a giant maple.
 
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