The old boxelder behind the house

[pma1123]

Despite being a big ugly tree, I hated to see this one go; it was the shade for the house and back patio. I'm sure this popped up as a weed tree about 100 years ago.
Randomly on a calm, cool Sunday evening in late September it decided to let go of a 2' diameter limb, and took out the overhead power line to the outbuildings; missed the garage by inches. The exit wound was ugly, and it became apparent how hollow this was at the first crotch. At that point, I knew I had to get rid of this thing. I ended up with just shy of a full cord from this 2' diameter branch alone.

On Haloween weekend, I ended up having a friend come over and climb it with his 036 hanging from his belt, while I ran ground crew/rope duties. He had it laying on the ground in about 1.5hrs, and I took over cleanup duties. I'm lucky enough to have curb-side tree branch cleanup from the city, so I used the 4 wheeler to drag several massive brush piles to the road.

Thus far I have the remaining limbs CSS, and I'm sitting at almost 3 full cords without having processed the trunk. I'm far enough ahead on firewood that this will be shoulder supply for a couple years from now.

I'm going to leave the main trunk section lay in the yard for now as I use this as justification for the purchase of a larger saw.

The trunk measures 42-46" in diameter; size reference is an 066 w/42" bar. (not mine)

Suffice to say, my trusty MS250 has been getting a workout bucking and noodling.

 

[Soundchasm]

Holy cow that's a big tree. In the 12 years we've lived here a bunch of trees hit the end of the road and became much bigger liabilities than assets. Hate to see them come down but sometimes it's them or you. Also great you can use the wood as well. I'm planting oaks hoping that someone will be cussing me 250 years from now.

 

[BobUrban]

Any metal in that yard tree?

 

[KindredSpiritzz]

I have a bunch of them lining the parameter of my back yard. None of them are as straight as yours, they are at such angles sideways im surprised they have not fallen over yet.I keep them because of the key spots they provide shade. This one is almost completely horizontal but its my favorite tree because it keeps the sun out of the bedroom window in the morning.
I even have it braced up with a 2x8 at the base to give it more support. I suspect it will loose its battle with gravity in the next few years and i will miss it when it finally goes.

 

[pma1123]

Thus far I haven't run into any metal while cutting. This tree had the 'death mushrooms' forming at random spots. I've squashed my fair share of mice, ran into tons of carpenter ants, and had some nice hollow logs for campfires out of this tree.

The branch that dropped back in Sept. was very similar to what you've shown KindredSpiritzz...mostly horizontal and eventually the weight got to it.

I have one more remaining boxelder that's equal in size to this thing in front of my barn. I plan to have a couple big branches dropped off of it to keep the building safe.

But like Soundchasm mentioned, I'll need to start planting trees again. I have taken out 3 boxelders now with ~4ft trunks in the past year due to rot/potential building damage. The rest of my trees are mature white ash trees.

Anyone ever had a boxelder stump ground out before? Did it still have little sprouts coming out after a while? I have 3 of them I'd like to get ground.

 

[lindnova]

Box elder sprouts are annoying. After grinding I would think they would not grow - you are mowing that area. I never have ground one, but usually treat the fresh stump (or hatchet to open cells) to kill the things. Otherwise I have sprayed and re-sprayed re-growth on stumps if not treated.

That tree will give you some nice shoulder season wood. Just get off the ground and drying or they can get moldy fast.

 

[Ralphie Boy]

I don't know about where you are but the dang box elder that I cut in my yard kept sprouting after I ground the stump. Maybe I should have taken it deeper but it was a borrowed grinder that the neighbor rented so I didn't spend much time on it.

I fixed the problem by one of my favorite stump removal methods. I dug just a little bit around the stump, dumped a 20lb. bag of charcoal on the stump and lit it. When the charcoal was just about right for cooking steaks I covered it with a metal trashcan lid and sealed the edges of the lid with the little bit of dirt I had removed from around the stump. By the end of the day no stump and no more pesky box elder sprouts. Man, I hate box elder.

 

[pma1123]

Thanks for the tips!! I'm glad you mentioned the charcoal stump removal method. An old timer told me not to do that; the root system will catch fire. I think that logic belongs with the 'don't burn pine' crowd seeing that the ground has moisture, the stump is moist. And my stone and mortar foundation isn't combustible, last I checked.
So, from somebody who has actually done it, should I worry about an underground inferno?

 

[Ralphie Boy]

I worry about an underground inferno?

Not unless you live in or on a coal mine!

 

[jrmcdona]

Did you all not have Boxelder bugs?

 

[jrmcdona]

Is this a female box elder? There are many BE bugs on my barn, house, and garage.

 

[Ralphie Boy]

Did you all not have Boxelder bugs?

We had way fewer this year. There are box elders on adjoining property that I can't convince the owner to cut so we still get them, just fewer.