We have a couple Osage Orange trees back across the creek. I have strict orders from headquarters to not cut them. She distributes hedge apples to all her friends in the garden clubs and quilting clubs. The ladies love them for fall decoration. I should try starting some and planting a grove... Hmmm, future project brewing...
Funny how things work, we mow over the hedge apples or will let the squirrels eat them. Pretty much considered a nuisance. Fresh ones are pretty tough on a mower but will still chuck em out the chute.
Hedge grows on the farms in Eastern Colorado, toward the Kansas border. I’ve only seen it a couple of times pheasant hunting with my dad. Gnarly looking stuff. I’d love to get my hands on a truckload of it though!
Well it took almost a month to get around to splitting all the hedge from the first picture, but its done. Im guessing 1 1/3 cordish. I tried stacking 3 rows to a pallet this time as opposed to two rows like I had been doing. Two tows leaves a large gap and seems to make the rows a little wobbly. That may just be me being a novice stacker though. Its still heavy by the way. Had to use the slege to unstick a few pieces off the wedge. Crazy stuff for sure.
Nice looking stacks. None of it around here that i know of. Love to have a log or two just to check it out.
Itd be nice if it was dry by November, but I'm not planning on it. Im hoping the elm and mulberry i got cut and split in November and December will be under 20% for next season.
Definitely one of the more available around here. Hedge rows are used to break up wind in fields and as natural living fences. I was intrigued by finding over a dozen grub worms in one of the rounds. Looked like beautiful soil in there with them. Tree wasnt rotted either, not real sure how they got in there either.
Reminds me of black locust, which is the only thing close to hedge around here in terms of density. Same thing...grub borer tunnels rather common, ants too. Wood is very dense, especially when dead. "compost sections" as well. Ill see if i can get some pics today.
The grubs I saw were the same ones inn the ground id say. I did find a large nest of carpenter ants too. Wasnt real sure what to do with them. Sprayed em with brake clean then went ahead and split the rest. Destructive little critters for sure.
While mowing today I noticed quite a few piles of fine saw dust in my hedge stacks. Im assuming the piles are from carpenter ants that i found in some of the rounds. I tossed the heavily infested pieces and the rest went into the stacks. Anyone have any ideas for getting rid of them? Id prefer to just kill them where they are. Thanks for the help.
Personally I would do nothing at all. Typically with firewood that’s off the ground and stacked, bugs shouldn’t be a concern. It could be powder post beetles doing what you’re saying. I’ve had those around the stacks for years and they do not appear to compromise the firewood in any real way. Antz should vacate the wood within days of splitting, so that should be of no concern, in my opinion. It’s good that you asked here though. Otherwise, you’ll be unnecessarily putting down a bunch of pesticides.
That is probably powder post beetles, as was stated. They won't hurt a thing, besides making dust. We have some boring in some oak that was cut less than a month ago. They get gone quick.
