Least Favorite Firewood

[gmerkt]

I'm sure there are many entries for this title. But mine is Leyland cypress. At one time, it was a popular landscaping tree. My advice, never plant one. They turn into monsters. I've lived here nearly 40 years. About 36 years ago, I planted a Leyland cypress in a bare area near a fence after a neighbor cut his trees down. As growing things have a way of doing, it went from being a skinny four foot planting to a giant, bushy, branchy, rooty thing that took over an entire area. Remember, this had been planted near a fence. When I decided it was time for the cypress to go, I talked neighbor into paying half to have it cut down. At the same time, there was a cluster of Bigleaf maple along the same fence further down which were about 80 years old and he paid half on these as well.

The tree guys I use came and took these trees down. Their work included grinding up and hauling all the greenery and smaller branches from the cypress. My work included cleaning up all the rounds and the small stuff from the maples. I split and stacked it all away, doing the cypress last. I gave away over half of the cypress and ran out of takers. What was left were mostly big rounds that I couldn't even pick up by myself. The maple I'd split by hand, but the cypress was another story. I rented a splitter for a day to do that work. Those first half dozen cuts from the butt of the tree I had to split/saw into quarters before I could lift them up onto the splitting machine. The biggest ones were about three feet in diameter. There were some pretty gnarly splits that came out of that mess. Anyway, it all got stacked and put away in Dec. 2022 so it's had plenty of time to season. It weighs about half as much as it did when green.

The Leyland cypress was only in the ground for about 33 years. The rate of growth of those things is amazing. Don't even think of planting one anywhere near your house. I've got native trees that I've planted around on my property about the same time, their rate of growth has been "normal."

As to the firewood. I'm so glad I initially gave a lot of it away. Because I'd have that much more to burn now. Which I'm not enjoying. I've burned through a cord of maple and then some so far this year. We just had a cold snap, and it was a good time to start burning the cypress. Because it burns hot. I have to keep it burning hot; because if I turn the air down too much, it will smolder and smoke. If you let the fire get down too far, the box is too cool for it and it doesn't want to burn well. You can't turn your back on it and leave it unattended for long, or it will burn up and go out. Because it doesn't produce coals, just a bit of fine ash. Some people mix it with harder woods; I just want to get it all burned up and gone.

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[arakboss]

Cottonwood, heavy as heck when wet and not a lot of BTUs when dry. And the cotton like mess....

 

[lucusloc]

I burn anything I can get my hands on. If I have stuff that does not leave coals I mix it and burn it next to some oak or ash that leaves wonderful coals. During the last big ice storm two years ago the church across the street lots several large oaks and I am still going through that. I mix it with some old punky pine that is getting a little past gone, but it works well with the oak. If you are having problems with a specific kind of wood that is what I would recommend; pop it in the box with something else and let them both burn together.

 

[gmerkt]

burn it next to some oak

Oak is pretty rare up here. I've got plenty of Bigleaf maple, considered a semi-hardwood and about the best that is readily available. I used to run across some of the non-native maple once in a while, trees that had been planted in an ornamental setting and then later cut down.

Choke cherry is another that I like, hard and burns long but the bark on it must be slashed before splitting. Madone is another hardwood native. Both of these I don't run across very often in the way of free firewood.

A couple of years ago, I was given some Norway spruce, I'm not looking forward to burning that but it will be burning season, not this one. I was pretty dry when it was given to me but looked pretty sappy. Maple is mostly what I get off my own property. I used to get a lot of red alder but I don't have any at present. It burns faster than maple, but slower than coniferous woods and doesn't build up much in the way of coals.

I would mix the cypress with maple but I just want to get rid of it as quickly as poss.

 

[Spitpatch]

Balsa.

 

[Tlock]

Piss fir and cottonwood......let them rot, not worth cutting for firewood in my opinion.

 

[NeoBlackdog]

From the wood I have available on the property, Aspen and Engelman Spruce.

 

[NeoBlackdog]

Piss fir and cottonwood......let them rot, not worth cutting for firewood in my opinion.

Cottonwood makes really good decking for heavy equipment trailers.

 

[Tlock]

Cottonwood makes really good decking for heavy equipment trailers.

Are you pulling my leg? I honestly didnt think there was any use for it

 

[NeoBlackdog]

Are you pulling my leg? I honestly didnt think there was any use for it

No leg pullin'! It's real fibrous and that makes it stand up to wear and tear from wheeled and tracked vehicles.

 

[Tlock]

No leg pullin'! It's real fibrous and that makes it stand up to wear and tear from wheeled and tracked vehicles.

Well if you ever need any im your guy. I have a 4 footer we bucked up and pushed to the edge of a field, its strait with no rot

 

[Buckey]

I burn anything I can get my hands on. If I have stuff that does not leave coals I mix it and burn it next to some oak or ash that leaves wonderful coals. During the last big ice storm two years ago the church across the street lots several large oaks and I am still going through that. I mix it with some old punky pine that is getting a little past gone, but it works well with the oak. If you are having problems with a specific kind of wood that is what I would recommend; pop it in the box with something else and let them both burn together.

Howdy, Are you in the market for free firewood. This fall I gave away 3 large loads of firewood. Between the ice storm 2 years ago and trees that are dying I have been overwhelmed with firewood. I'm located in the lower Mohawk valley. The wood would already be cut in rounds or firewood length. If you have interest let me know. Thanks Buckey

 

[NeoBlackdog]

Howdy, Are you in the market for free firewood. This fall I gave away 3 large loads of firewood. Between the ice storm 2 years ago and trees that are dying I have been overwhelmed with firewood. I'm located in the lower Mohawk valley. The wood would already be cut in rounds or firewood length. If you have interest let me know. Thanks Buckey

I am a firewood whore! Would you deliver that to the Kalispell area?

 

[lucusloc]

I am a firewood whore! Would you deliver that to the Kalispell area?

Road trip time!

 

[JDubDub]

Juniper. Burns hot, but absolutely stinks. Unfortunately we have an unlimited supply at the range and I guess it's better than frostbite. Maybe.

 

[lucusloc]

Juniper. Burns hot, but absolutely stinks. Unfortunately we have an unlimited supply at the range and I guess it's better than frostbite. Maybe.

I love burning the aromatic conifers. Basically all of them are great in my book. In my experience on a high burn they do not present much of a scent, but if you let them smolder they can make the whole property smell like campfire. Hell, if it were not so much work hauling around I would offer to trade you from some boring, nondescript pine

 

[Buckey]

I am a firewood whore! Would you deliver that to the Kalispell area?

Wish you were closer. They do have trees in Montana right.

 

[teflon6string]

Not much around here (I don't think), but I had a load of avocado when I was in the service in San Diego. It made the fireplace in my house stink - carpet and furniture too. Took it camping to burn and it stunk up my tent and sleeping bags. They still reeked a month later, long after I had returned the wood to nature over a bank somewhere.

 

[NeoBlackdog]

Wish you were closer. They do have trees in Montana right.

Oh, there may be one or two around here...

 

[lucusloc]

Oh, there may be one or two around here...
View attachment 2239340

Lies! That is not Montana, this is Montana;



Don't you know each state can only be known for one kind of geography? You guys don't have trees, you have grass.