Red and white oak tree tops, how long can it lay on wet ground/rot?

[DodgyNomad]

Have a lot of oak tree tops on the ground at my friends place from some logging. Wondering how long they can be laying there in a damp Michigan forest before we start to see breakdown or punkyness?

We're trying to get them up the sooner the better, just curious on the time frame before they start to deteriorate. Thanks

 

[Paulywalnut]

I know oak can lay years in the woods. When you cut it, it might have some punk on the outside but from the center out is still good stuff. The tops being smaller in diameter might start to deteriorate faster but still same process. Hard to say when that all starts though. Can you get in there and de leaf and cut into some lengths first?

 

[Cburke]

I know oak can lay years in the woods. When you cut it, it might have some punk on the outside but from the center out is still good stuff. The tops being smaller in diameter might start to deteriorate faster but still same process. Hard to say when that all starts though. Can you get in there and de leaf and cut into some lengths first?

I'll second this. I'm processing most of my future wood from oak on the ground for a few years, what I've been finding is that the bark (or what's left of it) is the punky part, inside is solid! You should be fine, another reason why oak is superior!

 

[Lockpicker]

I have found that black ants seem to be drawn to red oak that has been laying on the ground. Around here if its been down a few months they will be all in it.

 

[lindnova]

The sooner the better, but I have got a lot of good oak tops that sat for 5 years. Just a little punk. The biggest problem I had was the brush grew up around it and made it hard to get to.

 

[Ashful]

For building replica windows and such, white oak is one of the most desirable woods, being extremely rot resistant and historically accurate for our colonies. Red oak is sometimes said to rot as fast as pine, although I'm sure there's some exaggeration in that. All I'm saying is, you might expect a more generous window of time from white oak on the ground, versus red.

 

[Applesister]

You have leeway with Oak. Two foresters explained it to me in terms of cleaning up slash from a mixed forest type. Just about everything else including hickory will decompose in a damp shaded environment.
I get overwhelmed if theres too much on the ground at once. What I do is cut limbs in manageable lengths and cart them out to a graveled area to process.(landing)
Cutting rounds and stacking them off the ground. Like squirrels storing nuts. I think the woods look neat too with facecords stacked here and there.

 

[Poindexter]

Longer than I wood have guessed apparently. With spruce and birch you would want to get them cut up and off the ground by spring melt 2015. Reads like you have a little more time.

 

[Fifelaker]

I was given permission to cut the leftovers from a logging operation. I cut in there for 5 years and no noticeable decay on the red or white oak that was on the ground. There is still a bit left back there that I may look into next year. It will now be 10 years on the ground and I will bet it is still good.