When to cut down trees.

[JDRandyC]

Isn't there a time of the year when you can cut down trees and not have them try to re- sprout later?

Thanks

 

[amigauser]

I am not sure about the re-sprouting issue but I like to harvest trees in the late fall early winter when the leaves are off as there is less mess to cleanup.

 

[s219]

I'd probably say late fall/winter, assuming you are in a location with strong seasonal variations, since that gives you the most delay before the spring/summer growth season hits. In general, fall/winter is a good time for other reasons, as the sap is down and the leaves are off. But to be honest, I have seen all sorts of trees eventually sprout suckers, regardless of when cut. It probably depends on the species and other factors.

 

[dave1949]

It must not be late July-early August because the stumps sprouted like crazy the following spring in my field clearing project.

 

[Dr_Zinj]

Suckers sprouting from cut trunks is a survival adaptation of North American trees due to beaver depredation; and probably only arose in the past 10 to 15,000 years.
Most trees from other continents, especially South America, don't have that adaptation; which is why when American beavers were transplanted in South America, they devastated riparian forests.

 

[Baby Grand]

Suckers sprouting from cut trunks is a survival adaptation of North American trees due to beaver depredation; and probably only arose in the past 10 to 15,000 years.
Most trees from other continents, especially South America, don't have that adaptation; which is why when American beavers were transplanted in South America, they devastated riparian forests.

That's fascinating. I never really thought about it and would never have guessed that it's a regional adaptation.
Personally, I like to cut in the Winter, if I can wait, being that I live in a strongly seasonal area.
No leaves - except the beeches and some of the more stubborn oaks - makes chipping much easier.
Easier skidding when the ground is frozen; less getting stuck.
Much less saw dulling grit in the bark if skidded out in the snow, even though I still bark with a spud before cutting for the splitter, if the bark will separate.
Much less damage to the soil structure & roots of neighboring trees when the ground is frozen.

 

[hslogger]

Not all trees regenerate if cut and "killed". If you have trees that are regenerating and you don't wish to have them do so,you have some options and I would present you with some options. You can grind the stump and major roots out. You can burn them. You can dig them out. The least invasive and least toxic method is to bore the stump as soon as you cut the tree.You can use the tip of your chain saw or big drill bits. Pour pure roundup in the holes. Leave it alone and that should do it. There are PLENTY of other chemicals you can use and they are generally not really necessary. Things like Garlon, 2,4,D, Crossbow,etc in pure form are pretty nasty. I have first hand experience doing this in coast range forests and urban locations.

 

[sixdogs]

I've cut a lot of trees and the only way that works for me is to use Roundup (or generic glyphosate) concentrate on the freshly cut stump. Read the glyphosate/Roundup booklet on killing stumps enclosed with the product.

It says to cut the tree off near the base and then immediately paint the stump with the concentrate. I coat it within five minutes of cutting and then again a couple times within the first 10 or 15 minutes. I have never had one re-grow or get any suckers that way. It won't work if you wait too long.

After a couple years I can pop the stump out with a backhoe or just leave it flush with the ground to rot. No muss, no fuss.

 

[Cord]

If the suckers come back up in spring just spray them with some brush killer. I got some fence line spray from my local farm store and it works great on suckers. Usually spray them twice and the tree is dead.

 

[Gator6x4]

Ditto what others have said in the fall after the leaves have fallen off, and on a calm day. Never liked to be falling trees with the wind blowing, regardless of how slight of a breeze.

Another trick I have used on tree stumps, don't tell the EPA police, is to use a three quarters inch wood bit and bore several deep holes in the top of the stump and then fill the holes with mutric acid, obtainable at Lowes. Check the holes every couple of days and replenish what the stump has absorbed. The old stump does not liking drinking the acid.

 

[otlski]

I like winter. Less mud, no wasps, no leaves, no ticks, etc. My cut stumps sprout no matter when I cut them.

 

[dave1949]

Suckers sprouting from cut trunks is a survival adaptation of North American trees due to beaver depredation; and probably only arose in the past 10 to 15,000 years.
Most trees from other continents, especially South America, don't have that adaptation; which is why when American beavers were transplanted in South America, they devastated riparian forests.

Neat factoid.

 

[square1]

A little off topic, but if cutting for firewood, cut in the summer when in full leaf and let the tree lie there whole until fall / winter. The leaves will draw moisture out of the tree which, with no roots to replenish the water, speeds up the seasoning process.

 

[newbury]

Suckers sprouting from cut trunks is a survival adaptation of North American trees due to beaver depredation; and probably only arose in the past 10 to 15,000 years.
Most trees from other continents, especially South America, don't have that adaptation; which is why when American beavers were transplanted in South America, they devastated riparian forests.

That's an interesting statement, any studies to back it up?
In http://arboretum.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/Botanical-Review-Sprouting-in-Temperate-Trees.pdf it's stated that

Sprouting is a universal attribute of angiosperm trees

Trees sprout in Europe, it's been a management practice since Neolithic times, but there they term it "coppicing".
From https://www.google.com/search?q=Coppicing&oq=Coppicing&aqs=chrome..69i57&sourceid=chrome&es_sm=93&ie=UTF-8

Coppicing is an English term for a traditional method of woodland management which takes advantage of the fact that many trees make new growth from the stump or roots if cut down. In a coppiced wood, young tree stems are repeatedly cut down to near ground level.

Coppicing is the process of cutting trees down, allowing the stumps to regenerate for a number of years (usually 7 - 25) and then harvesting the resulting stems.
It makes use of the natural regeneration properties of many tree species, including Oak, Hazel, Maple, Sweet Chestnut, Lime and Ash. Cut such trees down and they will regenerate from the cut stump, producing many new shoots, rather than a single main stem. Regrowth can be exceedingly rapid, with new shoots growing as much as 5cm a day. Oak stems can exceed 2m growth in one season, while Sallow may grow to almost 4m high in the first summer1. The word 'coppice' is derived from the French 'couper' which means 'to cut'. Coppice trees and their produce are known as 'underwood'.

from Coppicing

Trees sprout in Asia.
I know the "Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus altissima), from China, sprouts grow rapidly,

The tree of heaven is a very rapidly growing tree, possibly the fastest growing tree in North America.[37] Growth of one to two metres (3.3 to 6.6 ft) per year for the first four years is considered normal.

from Ailanthus altissima - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Complete Turf Care]

Isn't there a time of the year when you can cut down trees and not have them try to re- sprout later?

Thanks

No.

The only way to stop a tree from growing back is to treat it with herbicide very soon after cutting it. And as always, read and follow the label before using any herbicide.

The exception to this rule is pine trees. There may be other exceptions too that I'm not aware of. Pine trees have their growing point at the top of the tree, and if you cut that off, they will not grow any more. Other trees have growing points throughout the tree, and will grow from any point.

 

[grnspot110]

For a stump killer, I use Tordon RTU. It's around $15/qt., squirt around the new growth (outer edge) of the stump, 1 qt. will cover a bunch of stumps (depending on size).

 

[dave1949]

That's an interesting statement, any studies to back it up?
In http://arboretum.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/Botanical-Review-Sprouting-in-Temperate-Trees.pdf it's stated that

Trees sprout in Europe, it's been a management practice since Neolithic times, but there they term it "coppicing".
From https://www.google.com/search?q=Coppicing&oq=Coppicing&aqs=chrome..69i57&sourceid=chrome&es_sm=93&ie=UTF-8

from Coppicing

Trees sprout in Asia.
I know the "Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus altissima), from China, sprouts grow rapidly, from Ailanthus altissima - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

There is a Eurasian beaver that is native to almost all of Europe and out into Siberia. They don't have quite the same lodge, pond, dam, feeding characteristics as the Canadian beaver.

 

[motownbrowne]

Not all trees regenerate if cut and "killed". If you have trees that are regenerating and you don't wish to have them do so,you have some options and I would present you with some options. You can grind the stump and major roots out. You can burn them. You can dig them out. The least invasive and least toxic method is to bore the stump as soon as you cut the tree.You can use the tip of your chain saw or big drill bits. Pour pure roundup in the holes. Leave it alone and that should do it. There are PLENTY of other chemicals you can use and they are generally not really necessary. Things like Garlon, 2,4,D, Crossbow,etc in pure form are pretty nasty. I have first hand experience doing this in coast range forests and urban locations.

Hey hey hey... You're saying the least toxic method of killing a tree is to "pour roundup in the holes" you bored. I'm gonna say that burning them out, grinding them out, or drilling holes, filling with corn and setting the hogs to them would all be less toxic. I'm sure your roundup method works, but don't go around thinking it's the least toxic way to do something.