Hackberry turns punky

[Mitch Newton]

Had some big rounds of Hackberry that I left on the ground for 6 months since it was so hot. I went out to split yesterday with the temp drop and was disappointed. Five big rounds turned punky. I guess I learned a lesson. What kind of wood can take laying on the ground for a while without turning punky? I know all wood should be C/S/S as soon as possible but sometimes it's hard to get caught up in the heat of summer.

 

[ScotO]

Maybe that wood was bad off from the get-go (before you ever cut it), never heard of hackberry punking out that fast. The lightweight woods I cut split here (poplar and silver maple) are the fastest to get punky, and even they take at least a year or more to spalt......let alone turn punky if left in rounds.

 

[Jon1270]

I agree with Scotty, and am doubtful that so much damage could be done in 6 months. It was probably bad when you got it.

I believe soft maple, birch and beech can be problematic with repeated wetting and drying. Red oak sapwood spalts easily. On the other end of the scale, mulberry heartwood, Osage and black locust will survive poor conditions for a very long time.

 

[osagebow]

Most of the wood I burned year one was locust logs i had lined my yard with. Osage is even more bulletproof. Sat lengthwise in shade for 6 years or so. split, dried and burned easily. Also had cut a wind damaged black birch up, and some got punky after a few months hidden in the undergrowth.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Had some big rounds of Hackberry that I left on the ground for 6 months since it was so hot. I went out to split yesterday with the temp drop and was disappointed. Five big rounds turned punky. I guess I learned a lesson. What kind of wood can take laying on the ground for a while without turning punky? I know all wood should be C/S/S as soon as possible but sometimes it's hard to get caught up in the heat of summer.

Hands down, white ash will last the longest when laying on the ground, even if it is in a wet area.

 

[Paulywalnut]

I cut up a black locust last winter that had been lying down 8 years. The bark just fell off. Splitting it was a blast.
No punk at all.

 

[teutonicking]

Had some big rounds of Hackberry that I left on the ground for 6 months since it was so hot. I went out to split yesterday with the temp drop and was disappointed. Five big rounds turned punky. I guess I learned a lesson. What kind of wood can take laying on the ground for a while without turning punky? I know all wood should be C/S/S as soon as possible but sometimes it's hard to get caught up in the heat of summer.

How did you know? Did they start listening to the sex pistols?

 

[Mitch Newton]

Hands down, white ash will last the longest when laying on the ground, even if it is in a wet area.

That's good, cause all I got left is about two cords of white ash in the round and on the ground.

 

[Mitch Newton]

How did you know? Did they start listening to the sex pistols?

I split two of the rounds and did not get any good wood. So I decided not to waste my time on the hackberry when I've got lots of good ash to split.

 

[Foragefarmer]

We tore out a cattle loading shoot yesterday on the job I am working. I was built from locust posts and had been in for at least 30 years and the posts were almost as solid as the day they went in the ground. Locust posts can be good for up to 60 years.

 

[Ralphie Boy]

Hackberry is great burning wood but, as you have found out, it goes bad quickly if left on the ground, which is probably the main reason it has little or no commercial value. Split it and stack it off the ground with good air flow as soon as you cut it and it will last years. I have some 3 year old hackberry splits, about a cord, that are as solid as they can be. I don't think you had 'bad wood' to begin with, that's just the nature of hackberry.

Nice to be back to the woodshed, I've been away all summer... feels like home....

 

[TimJ]

rounds are just as easy to keep off the ground as splits are if you choose to leave them for a bit of time.

 

[Jags]

White Ash, White Oak, osage and locust can handle some time on the ground.

As with Hackberry, get all the hickory off the ground and split. Hickory will go bad around here in a summers time if left in contact with the ground.

 

[Thistle]

White Ash, White Oak, osage and locust can handle some time on the ground.

As with Hackberry, get all the hickory off the ground and split. Hickory will go bad around here in a summers time if left in contact with the ground.

Here too,even with the past 2 dry summers.Record rain from late March through mid June though.

 

[Soundchasm]

Had some big rounds of Hackberry that I left on the ground for 6 months since it was so hot. I went out to split yesterday with the temp drop and was disappointed. Five big rounds turned punky. I guess I learned a lesson. What kind of wood can take laying on the ground for a while without turning punky? I know all wood should be C/S/S as soon as possible but sometimes it's hard to get caught up in the heat of summer.

That hackberry I had seemed to change in character when I got to the 4-5 feet from stump up. I felt it was much closer to balsa wood (after it dried) than the other stuff I'd split from smaller rounds. The other thing I find suspicious is the hackberry stump is halfway rotted already. I've got pine stumps from the same or earlier vintage that are perfectly healthy. I'd blame it more on the tree's health.