Anybody notice a problem with elm trees this year? I live in southeastern PA, 4+ acre woodlot, and have noticed that almost all of the elms didn’t develop full leaves during the season and then started dropping early. I recall reading something about anthracnose, didn’t pay enough attention, but I thought it was something that wasn’t all that serious and the trees recovered by the next season. On the other hand, I sure hope it isn’t Dutch elm disease. If they are all dead next year, I will have a LOT of firewood. Anybody with elms notice something similar?
Problem with elm trees?
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If they are all dead next year, leave them stand another year if possible. We leave ours until most of the bark has fallen off before cutting. Sometimes we'll leave them 2 or 3 years after the bark is off and then you can burn it very soon after cutting as the moisture will be mostly out. But cutting right after the bark has fallen off, there is still a good deal of moisture in the wood. btw, elm is still good wood to burn and we use some every year.
PyroBlonde said:
Sorry to say...that's what it sounds like. Look at the first 5 or 6 foot of the base of the tree...does it look like it was peppered with a shotgun?.
I would call our local county exstension agent and ask them about problems with elms.That is part of their job and the agents I have delt with really take their job seriously. The number will be in your phone book.
As for leaving a dead tree stand before felling....the longer it stans (dead) the greater the chance of a limb falling onto you when you do decide to cut it down.....commonly called ........Widow Makers
Mike
As for leaving a dead tree stand before felling....the longer it stans (dead) the greater the chance of a limb falling onto you when you do decide to cut it down.....commonly called ........Widow Makers
Mike
woodconvert said:
I have a large elm in my yard that didn't come back this year. As my house is only one year old, I assumed the roots were damaged during excavating. I have noticed in the last few weeks that the base of the tree does look like it was peppered with a shotgun, as you put it. Can you expand on that at all? Should I be removing this tree as soon as possible? I was going to leave it until spring.
All Elms get that disease eventually...it's inevitable. Up to this year I'd let Elm saplings alone figuring I'd be cutting the dead trees anyway...but now it getting so I can't keep up with them. Dead trees require special handling and all. Still can't complain since it's been keeping us warm for all these years.
the_dude said:
Depends what you wanna look at till spring. It's got the bug, it's done (and soon all others near by will be in the same position. There are some expensive sprays i've seen that are supposed to work but call your local ag extension). You can cut it now and get it split for late winter wood OR leave it to dry on the hoof (IMO, dead elms are ugly to look at. They start shedding bark). It takes a couple years for the wood to get punky to the point where it HAS to come down. Your call.
Curios...when you say "large"...how large is large?
By large, I would say about 32' diameter near the base, and probably 40' tall? I'm not great at estimating height, though.
the_dude said:
I'd dump it and split it up. It's possible the wood may be ready to burn late winter or early spring. The bigger stuff doesn't season so well when left standing.
How close to the house is it?. Will it fall away from the house?
Sucks such a nice ole' tree has to give it up for a bug/fungus.
Unfortunately, it is quite close to the house/garage. I'm not sure how confident I am felling it myself. I may need to bring in a professional. I was planning on waiting until spring because it appears that I have also lost a very large red oak, that is very close to the house - 3.5' diameter and 50' tall. That will definately have do be dropped professionally. I was told by an arborist to give it another year because it may come back. Fortunately, I don't need the wood this year as I have 8 cord split and stacked.
the_dude said:
Don't cut it (them) down yourself then...it's not worth it to save a buck. Call a pro, tell em' you want them dropped and you will cut it up. Shouldn't be expensive and you'll have the wood at the length you want (seems to me that most pro cutters/crews cut stuff too long).
Call your local ag extension to see what you can do to save any of your other trees or at least report it....is dutch elm that bad in your neck of the woods?. I didn't think it was...yet.
mtarbert said:
Mike, it makes no difference whether the tree is dead or alive. Before cutting any tree, the first thing you do is look up! Check out the situation before cutting and even before seeing which way to fell the tree. It's called common sense. And I have yet to cut a dead elm and have a problem with falling limbs...
mtarbert said:
Wow you all have conty agents that are on the job! I could not even tell you who ours is.
I think Baxter Black (cowboy poet and coment artist) must have been in my area when he came up with the punch line "about as dumb as a bus load of county agents".
Thanks for the replies. Drat…checked the trunk of the elm tree. Definitely shotgunned. And it’s a darn big tree, too, about 28 inches in diameter and at least 40 feet tall, about 20 feet from the house on one side and 10 feet from the utility pole, electric line, cable line and phone line on the other side. I think this will take a pro with a bucket truck unless we can talk the power co. into taking it down. Oh well, glad it's decent firewood for next winter's burn.
By definition, elm trees are a problem in my book. While pretty to look as a windbreak in a field, they don't belong anywhere near a house. Their roots are more invasive than willow. Unfortunately we inherited one with our property. It has invaded our neighbors property, our septic tank, out as far as 300 ft away from the mother tree. Now we have hundreds of them sprouting up all over and a serious row of voluteers between properties. If dutch elm hits, I will not be mourning for them here, though I'm not looking forward to splitting up the main tree either.
blel said:
28 ton Swisher with 10 1/2 B&S;+ big Elm trees = no problem! :coolgrin: and lots of warm toasty winter nights ;-P
(My splitter likes big nasty trees, so does the stove. :lol: )
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