’Green’ Kindling

Neighbor just cut down a huge branch that had split in the fall on their apple tree.

I got the twigs which I use as kindling. (5-7mm diameter twigs)

I assumed they would be totally dry by now since the branch had been 'dangling' for 4-5 months....

When I broke a piece there was still a hint of green right beneath the bark.

Is that going to make a huge difference in how well they burn when used as kindling or should I let em 'season' some more?

They will light off better without the green, but since it's kindling I don't think it will matter much. If you can wait it will not hurt you to do so.

I think you would be happier using the apple in a smoker.

Matt

Chances are there was a bit of bark still connected feeding it sap. The proof of course will be in the burning. Give it a try but I have my doubts.

Once had a customer getting a lot of smoke back into his house when starting up.... Asked him about his kindling, said, oh yeah I just picked those up out of the yard yesterday. It had been raining recently. Nothing like a pile of wet sticks and some newspaper to make a good smoke bomb.

Thanks for replies. I have still have a lot of dry kindling left so I do think I shall hold off on this bunch and get it sit for awhile longer....Amazes me that it is still green despite the fact that the limb was torn from the trunk months ago and these twigs are tiny! Nature is sure amazing!

I'd wait to burn the twigs until they are really dry. Nothing more irritating than wet kindling.

In almost 50 years of gathering kindling to start campfires with, I have noticed that the wettest part of a downed tree is always the twigs. I can throw green wood splits on top of a raging campfire and it will take right off, but using twigs from that same tree to start the fire... better have a lot of birch bark.


I only use twigs and small branches that I find on the ground to start a campfire, or if the ground is wet, dead "squaw wood" sticking out from the bottom of conifer trunks. Once the fire is roaring, I throw all the fresher twigs on top to get rid of them. That's the only time they'll burn well.