Using cleared trees

[Mulegirl]

So my husband would tell me I'm getting a bit ahead of myself, but I tend to do that. We've just now started working on clearing our patch of once-was-pasture, now-is-scrubby-trees bit of land in preparation for the perc test and survey. Today was clear-the-gate day, and it went pretty well. However, as we were doing this, I started wondering: what can we do with all the wild cherry trees, walnut trees, paulownia trees, and Virginia red cedar that we're going to be cutting down as we re-clear the pasture (both for the house, and to turn it back into actual pasture)? The main trunks will be big enough for firewood, but that's about it, and I was thinking we could throw the smaller bits in a chipper, along with the loads of wild blackberries we're taking out. Is there any reason that we couldn't use any of those trees as garden mulch?

[barelahh]

Originally Posted by Mulegirl

So my husband would tell me I'm getting a bit ahead of myself, but I tend to do that. We've just now started working on clearing our patch of once-was-pasture, now-is-scrubby-trees bit of land in preparation for the perc test and survey. Today was clear-the-gate day, and it went pretty well. However, as we were doing this, I started wondering: what can we do with all the wild cherry trees, walnut trees, paulownia trees, and Virginia red cedar that we're going to be cutting down as we re-clear the pasture (both for the house, and to turn it back into actual pasture)? The main trunks will be big enough for firewood, but that's about it, and I was thinking we could throw the smaller bits in a chipper, along with the loads of wild blackberries we're taking out. Is there any reason that we couldn't use any of those trees as garden mulch?

depends on size. if large enough call out a guy with a bandsaw mill and mill the larger logs into some quality lumber. the cedar too.

[Mulegirl]

Originally Posted by barelahh

depends on size. if large enough call out a guy with a bandsaw mill and mill the larger logs into some quality lumber. the cedar too.

I hope there will be some big enough, but I don't think it'll be many--it's mostly about a decade's growth. Heh, guess that might furnish us with some finishing materials for the house, though!

[rambler]

Have you ever used a chipper? Unless it's a $7000 powered unit with real umph behind it...

What a pain in the rear. Pile the slash up & let it rot, or burn it if that is allowed. A chipper takes time time time to gain you little.....

Wood chips generally take a lot out of the soil for a long time before they break down, could be a decade before you start seeing an actual gain from the chips and they start returing you anything. They really tie up nitrogen from the soil, unless you are a pro at mixing with manure & other high-N materials and cooking it up right.

Some cedar, walnut, and cherry esp have a lot of tannins in them that realy mess up a soil and prevent some seeds from sprouting for several years. Kind of a natural seed killer. I'd not want those in my garden until well multched for a long time.

--->Paul

[Use Less]

You especially don't want to use black walnut as mulch since it kills off so much stuff. Also, if you plan to plant cherries or other stone fruits, the wild cherry could be holding disease or insects you'd just as soon not encourage. Get boards if you can, and do firewood or kindling w/the rest would be my thought. Have you taken a good look at the actual trees? If there are any that could eventually be good shade trees, a natural fence line or a windbreak, you might want to spare them. Also, if any walnuts or cherries are quite straight, you could trim the branches to extend the useable lumber area and let them grow for a while. There can be good $ in trees for high-grade lumber. A sawyer in your area could possibly advise about that. Sue

[ronbre]

you can bury the tops into hugelkulture beds..see my blog or go to www.permies.com and check out the forum info on hugelkulture beds (basically it is burying wood and leaf debris under compost or just soil and using it for planting beds..great way to add organic matter)..also the chipped wood would be good for your beds, mulch or paths and even makes great medium for mushrooms.

[beowoulf90]

As others have said the Tanic acid from the Black Walnut trees won't be good for some vegetables.. Now if you have access to a chipper, go ahead and chip it up, but don't put it on a garden, allow it to break down and turn it into mulch..
When the power company trims the trees here they dump the much on my property (with my permission) I allow it to rot and break down, after a few years it turns in to very nice soil/mulch..My property is laden with Black Walnut so I have to watch what I'm planting where and where I use the mulch..

[oregon woodsmok]

It depends upon how much.

When we clear the juniper, it's no good for mulch, so the trunks get used as fire wood. Some of it is piled into brush shelters for the wild quail. The rest gets stacked into piles and dried, then burned the next year,

That pile of limb trimmings and junk is called a slash pile, by the way.

A few of those, you could limb up and encourage to grow straight and you'd eventually have lumber or carving wood, for things like sculptures and gun stocks.

[AnnieinBC]

Even if the cedar trees are not large, perhaps they could still be milled and used for your window and door frames in your house? Or moulding. Real wood trim does look beautiful and it would save you money I would think.