There's a big, long-dead ash tree in the neighborhood common space that's going to be dropped this winter. Before I get my heart set on harvesting the entire thing for free firewood, how long would it take to rot a standing ash tree? Trunk feels solid and isn't a risk to fall on its own. There's also a rotting maple that's being dropped, but I'm less excited about that.
What is left of the limb wood? Thats an indicator of how long its been dead. The bigger the limb wood remaining the longer its been dead. IME the trunk closest to the ground will be rotted and the top will be too punky but most is still good. The bark will come off and maybe some rot but sounds like its good to me. Any pics of said tree Chauncey ? I have maybe ten dead ones in my woods i have to fell this Winter.
I’d say it depends on location. I’ve cut a few long dead standing Ash that cut like hardened dead oak and cut some that felt like they were days away from being mush. If you have a long drill bit, you could drill it to feel resistance.
I've lost over 50 big ash. If the smallest branches are more than 4 inches, not much worth cutting in the trunk. EAB kilt ash rot quick, just like the gypsy moth kilt oak. If you have to drop it, be careful. Widow makers and barber chairs.
Just use great caution when felling a dead standing tree as they don't react the same as a live tree when cut. Lots of weird 'stuff' can go wrong.
Yep this. As an arborist I’ve dropped hundreds of dead ash here in Michigan, and the vast majority of them fit this description.
Grab it, as Barcroftb said. Most if standing tend to remain solid for a good long time. I've got several cord for this winter that was 10+years dead. Good stuff!
And honestly most of the dead/down ash have at least some good wood in 'em...I've only walked away completely from a few of 'em so far
I have some that have been on the ground 5+ years and aside from about a 1mm layer of dead rot on the outside are fine.
We have a metric chit ton of dead/down ash trees in the lil 5 acre woods at work...I've went around and made sure everything is up off the ground as much as possible (just cut the ones that were on the ground and too big to move) sometime in the next few months I'll be picking the rest of this stuff up, see how good it still is...
We had hundreds of ash. We did find it varies a lot from tree to tree. We have a lot now not worth getting but still have a few to cut this winter. WARNING: Do not judge just by the way the tree looks. We had several that looked great but suddenly just tipped right over. They do have a tendency to rot in the root and we found they break off just below ground level. Now just imagine you are cutting one but suddenly the root breaks loose...
You won't know for 100% sure till you split it. I cut a bunch of standing dead ash for dad a few months ago and we split it this past Sunday. Couple rounds were so punky they didn't split straight. We made a firepit pile. If limbs are falling off, you best get it asap. The less that are left, IME, the more chance you have of a degraded log.
I found that about 3 to 5 yrs has very little wood left. Seems like the borer makes it go quick. Ive got a few 15yr dead I cut last year. Still standing. Not many bad spots at all. My dad killed a 80' x 80' spot for his pole barn. Got sick a year later. I was selling the house so i figured check out if any good wood in the back. All the cherry and maple was totally rotted. Red oaks were barkless but solid. The ash was rock hard. Lot of termite damage. But not much rot.
I have seen some of the dead ash here snap off 12 to 15' from the ground. The trunk below was solid and the top was solid. I have also seen what Dennis was talking about of rotting below grade . Please be careful it hurts to get hit in the head with big limbs.
I've seen a few break off up high like that too...most of the wood was still useable...EAB ash can be dangerous trees!
yes it is extremely dangerous as you both well know and have pointed out! I do not recommend them for novice fellers. Please be careful out there with beetle killed ash folk. Same goes for standing dead Elm. My preference is to pull these dead standing trees over with a rope after I’ve left the danger zone (15 foot radius around the trunk of the tree). In fact, setting a pull line and giving the tree a good pull has become my SOP when the situation/site allows. I’ve broken a few tops out like you described walt and pulled one tree over like Backwoods Savage described. Pounding wedges should be undertaken with great care for dislodging limbs.
Thought about this thread when I saw this log today. Beetle killed many years ago. Down on the ground for at least a year. Carpenter ants think this stuff is candy! As you can see wood just above the ugly spot has a touch of discoloration but is still sound. This would be white ash.
EAB killed ash are very dangerous when dropping them. The branches that will fall, can be sizeable. I say the level of rot really depends on a lot of factors, but the biggest would be how wet the ground the tree is in. Obviously one that is by a river bank or in a low spot, will have more chance of rot.
I took down a big one that was only standing dead 2-3 years. The trunk was good but it was punky after the first big wye. I let most of the top lay where it landed. The were parts of the main stem that snapped when it fell that were 10-12". I'm with Pa mountain man and the wood Wolverine on this one.
