Took a walk around the family property yesterday to look for windfall and new evidence of EAB. Here in NNJ, the damage has been sporadic with some areas hard hit and some being mostly spared. Most of my trees still produce a full canopy, but the writing is definitely on the wall. What kind of timeline should I expect with trees in this condition?
Timeline for them clinging to life? Once you start seeing trees with "blonding" on the bark from woodpecker traffic, you know they're pretty far gone. That's indicative of a tree being under attack for multiple growing seasons. I haven't seen any like that that still have a healthy canopy. Usually within a couple years they become essentially strangled to death. The way it's been here in CT, I first started noticing EAB damaged trees around 2015. Now it's very rare I see any mature trees that are still healthy. There are still plenty of small Ash saplings around though, spared temporarily because of their size. I'm sure they'll be infected in the next wave, once they're larger.
The ash around here are under attack. "Blonding" is a good way to refer to it. It looks like an ash that shades the house is a goner.
Nothing with a live canopy at all here in Northeast Ohio Made alot of firewood...but now most of the Ash pose a danger while cutting in the woods. We pretty much are letting the rest come down during storms. It's sad
True ! Had a scary deal last year. Cut one that was too far gone.. as soon as the tree hit resistance from the other tree canopies...the Ash broke in half..sending the top of the tree back my way . No thanks !!!!
I don't think woodpeckers do that to the bark. That just shows the trees are done for. You can still cut for a few years and the wood will be very dry but it takes a few years before turning to punk. I'll be cutting a few soon and our woods became infected about 20 years ago. But most are just no good any more. Get it while you can, even if you cut 10' or so length. Pile them up and they will last for many years. I know one fellow who cut some big log stacks of ash 10 years ago and is still cutting those up for good firewood.
Now I'll only cut them on field edges...when they are leaning towards the field !!! Some look ok...I cut em down and they explode on impact..leaving nothing decent for firewood.....others....look like they could be milled into lumber on the inside...making perfect firewood. But to my untrained eye...both trees look the same when they are standing. Like this guy. The top exploded...but left the whole meat of the tree just perfect for firewood. Bark falling off and all ! They are too unpredictable for my liking inside the woods. I'll still take an open shot like this though !
And this is why I don't drop many trees anymore. I can't look up like I used to with this danged neck problem.
Sad to see that. The trees usually will make last ditch efforts to survive by sending shoots/suckers from the main trunk, then the next year will die. The limbs will slowly start to fall off from smallest first. You have 3-4 years to harvest before the wood gets too punky to be worthwile IME Ive been working some standing dead ash in my woods and shouldve got to a few sooner as fungi and too punky so some of the wood was too far gone.
No sense waiting. I'd cut ever single one ASAP and let new and existing trees grow better. How many acres do you have?
I have a few I gotta deal with this year. The leaner looks like it’s gonna be fun. The pock marks at least on these trees is 100% from woodpeckers. I have on several occasions watched them hammer away at them.
The plan is taking shape. Will utilize barn space where I can stack rounds as high as I am able and use for years to come. Watching all that creamy goodness go to waste is not an option.
I wouldn’t have thought so either, without investigating the matter. Then I glimpsed this dude working on what is likely another goner in my front yard. Once they get working, it doesn’t take long for the blonding to show.
I wouldn’t waist time, cut as much as you can. The only good that came from the EAB is I’m years ahead on dry firewood. I just finished bucking the last of my ash yesterday.
