I got a great deal a pile of cherry tree tops from a logging project. Average 8"-12" diameter. I started splitting it last week, but won't have all it split a stacked for a couple of weeks. Will It be ready to use this fall?
Green cherry usable this fall?
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Cherry seems to season fairly quickly . If You split it fairly small it will help the seasoning process . Single stack it in a fairly open are with available sun and wind . You should be alright .Sleepy said:
DBoon
Minister of Fire
You have a better chance with Cherry than with nearly any other wood, especially the way the spring and summer is shaping up so far.
Get it cut early, keep it in the sun and wind, and stack it in single rows with 12-18" between rows. Keep it covered. I did less and a couple of years ago my first burning year and it nearly dried to what I needed it to be.
Get it cut early, keep it in the sun and wind, and stack it in single rows with 12-18" between rows. Keep it covered. I did less and a couple of years ago my first burning year and it nearly dried to what I needed it to be.
laynes69
Minister of Fire
I did the same thing last fall. It will burn, but won't be seasoned. I thought mine was dry but was far from. It was about 6 months seasoned. Just split it smaller.
How long ago were the trees cut? As long as they weren't starting to bud you should be ok if split smallish and we actually get a real summer.If they were cut in dead winter even better me thinks.Once sap gets moving the wood gets super wet.
thewoodlands
Minister of Fire
Sleepy said:
It might be but be ready to give it more air when you start burning for the heating season.
Zap
I'd say maybe, but maybe not. Green cherry can take a while to dry. If it was cut when drawing up sap, it might not be ready until late in the heating season or the following year.
Backwoods Savage
Minister of Fire
You got it from a logging project so that probably means the trees were dropped some time ago. If this is try then I'd say it will be ready by fall if you get it cut and split asap. Many times I've cut cherry in the winter, split it in spring and burned it the following winter.
I am cutting Bur Oak from a logging job several years ago and the wood seams to be as green as a live tree so you never know what you are getting for sure.Backwoods Savage said:
Backwoods Savage
Minister of Fire
Yes, that oak just won't season even though the butt was taken for logging. It still needs to be cut to length and split. Some of the smaller stuff I'd still leave in rounds; it is great firewood.
Thanks for the replies. These trees were cut only around 6 weeks ago. I am going to get it split and stacked as soon as I can, but I think I will try to find some other stuff to use this coming year. I have a moisture meter so I will know were its at. I just ended my first full heating season with wood as my primary source of heat and can testify to the importance of dry wood. I had some that was around 30% and some that was at or below 20%. The dryer wood burned much nicer. Well worth the wait.
Thanks again.
Thanks again.
firefighterjake
Minister of Fire
Cherry cut this Spring and burn this Fall . . . it's possible . . . ditto for woods with low moisture content like ash . . . but you're better off waiting a full year . . . much better burns, more heat, less creosote and happier experiences.
By full year do you mean a calender year as I do not think the wood cures much at all in the winter (maybe if put inside)?firefighterjake said:
firefighterjake
Minister of Fire
oldspark said:
Full year . . . but I do believe that the wood will continue to season in the winter . . . perhaps a bit slower.
IMHO I think it is a lot slower, been burning wood for a little over 30 years and I consider the drying season from about March to November, any drying over the winter would have to be done in a fairly tight building or it will be buried under snow, some winters are not that bad you can not count on it drying over the winter in NW Iowa.firefighterjake said:
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