my buddies in AK claim to do this on a regular basis. apparently they go out in the woods and cut an inch or so into the trees they wish to harvest the following year.. supposidly this will "season" the tree while standing??? not sure im a believer. if this is a viable way to prepare future firewood i could be interested. i have a bunch of maple, cherry and ash in or near the yard that needs to come down and be used as firewood. i just really dont like looking at it lying around untill i have time to deal with it....BRUSH AND LIMBS SUCK. i would prefer to just cut in the woods (and leave the brush),, but the wife says she's sick of all the trees and leaves. better for the garden and the pool i guess!! what do you guys think????
ringing trees
- Thread starter feelingasi
- Start date
-
Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.
We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.
We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil.
- Status
i was pretty sure this would kill the trees. but will they actually dry out and be burnable in roughly the same time as cutting them off at the stump??. if i didnt get 200" of snow per year, i could work on felled trees throughout the winter. unfortunately snowfall takes away easy acces by truck or tractor, and provides hidden obstacles for snowmobiles. these are my trees and there is no 'vandalism' involved. i just dont want them on the ground, until i want them on the ground
feelingasi said:
Seasoning per say keeps the log up off the ground and stops water movement. Perfect no an edge yes. If I had a monster woods and wanted to select trees this is a ok way to do it.
Be sure to get around to felling them in good time though. they'll become widowmakers if left too long.
Ehouse
Ehouse
My neighbor's woods is full of standing trees that were girdled years ago (10+ years). They are pretty well seasoned and being off the ground has kept the rot away. He did it so the desirable lumber species had more room to grow, so I'm left with a ton of Black Locust, Hedge, and Red Elm to pick through for firewood.
If you girdle them year 1, and turn them into firewood year 2, I'm not sure how much seasoning benefit you would get. More than none and less than ready to burn, I'm guessing.
If you girdle them year 1, and turn them into firewood year 2, I'm not sure how much seasoning benefit you would get. More than none and less than ready to burn, I'm guessing.
We have some family land that I was told back in the mid 1800s this method was used to clear the land. I don't know what was done after the trees died. I have wondered how they turned forest into pasture land back then.
Even dead trees continue to suck moisture up the trunk from the roots. You'll season the logs far faster IMHO by just dropping the sucker and leaving it on the ground as a whole felled tree. And we all know how well wood seasons as a log, right? It'll rot from the inside out faster than it'll season...if you kill it on the stump, the thing will keep pulling moisture from the ground but without leaves and new growth it won't have anyplace to consume that moisture.
My opinion says if you're taking the time and effort to go out in the woods and nick up some trees in the first place, just finish that part of the job and get the thing on the ground.
The only way to get a jump on seasoning that is going to realistically affect when your wood is ready to burn is to fall, buck, split and stack the wood earlier.
My opinion says if you're taking the time and effort to go out in the woods and nick up some trees in the first place, just finish that part of the job and get the thing on the ground.
The only way to get a jump on seasoning that is going to realistically affect when your wood is ready to burn is to fall, buck, split and stack the wood earlier.
My experience with oak leads me to believe that getting the bark off is the easiest way to accelerate drying. Obviously, splitting is going to be the best way.
maple1
Minister of Fire
I think this is a decent tool to use to shorten required post-processing seasoning time, if you don't already have fallen or standing dead trees to pick from.
The tree will keep sucking moisture, but only as long as the roots are still healthy, which I don't think will be all that long if they aren't getting food back from the leaves because you girdled it. After the roots stop pumping, the moisture level of the tree will start going down - it's a pretty basic fact that a standing dead tree will be drier than a live one. How much drier would depend on how long it's been standing dead - and it will likely still require some seasoning.
The tree will keep sucking moisture, but only as long as the roots are still healthy, which I don't think will be all that long if they aren't getting food back from the leaves because you girdled it. After the roots stop pumping, the moisture level of the tree will start going down - it's a pretty basic fact that a standing dead tree will be drier than a live one. How much drier would depend on how long it's been standing dead - and it will likely still require some seasoning.
I don't fell healthy standing trees, only standing dead or otherwise damaged. Or I'll buck up trees that have fallen, provided they haven't been down so long that they are overly punky or rotten through and through. I've felled trees I know have been dead for at least a couple of years. The trunks will still knock my moisture meter off the max end of the scale even though it is dropping most of its branches, which are already burnable. The wood from the trunk can still use up to two years split and stacked.
I'm talking oak here. That's pretty much all I have.
I'm talking oak here. That's pretty much all I have.
Having cut deadwood, I would avoid producing standing deadwood deliberately.
Firstly, it can wear a chain down quicker.
Secondly, if you think a stack of wood is ugly, I would have thought a whole load of standing dead trees would be an absolute eyesore.
Just my thoughts.... ;-)
Firstly, it can wear a chain down quicker.
Secondly, if you think a stack of wood is ugly, I would have thought a whole load of standing dead trees would be an absolute eyesore.
Just my thoughts.... ;-)
woodchip said:
I think it depends on the tree and how long it has been dead. Some trees are really rotten to the core. Some are full of bugs and woodpecker holes. But I have found some beautiful oaks that have been dead for some time but the trunk is still very wet. Water Oak in particular splits into beautiful splits that are almost too pretty to burn and should bring a premium to a firewood vendor merely for it's aesthetic value!
Correct, we girdled a white oak with a cable hooked to a dozer. We were trying to pull out a huge double tree stump. I thought the tree was done, but it healed over, took almost 10 years. I guess it will kill the week trees.wkpoor said:
mayhem said:
+1 . . . I always figured if I was there with a saw I might as well finish the job and not just torture the tree.
And as mentioned . . . the best way to truly season the tree is to buck it up, split it up and stack it.
- Status
