Coppicing

[czechsonofagun]

Our land was full grown forest 20 or so years ago. Previous owners cleared most of them out and left few significant trees. Now one of the maples is leaning due to clay soil, prevailing winds and such. If I let it fall down, it is gonna be a huge mess I will not be able to clean for years. The tree is easily 3 feet in diameter one foot above the ground.

Now I got this idea to cut it in winter say 5 feet from the ground and maybe the stump will regrow with little branches. Anybody done anything like that? I think I would have to protect the stump from rain and rot. Ideas, experience?

 

[Craig Clayton]

If it is leaning it is hard to predict when it will fall down. If it is not going to fall on anything important save that job for another day.
Craig Clayton

 

[wjmst]

I think it depends in part on what your goal is. Do you want the tree to regrow so you can harvest it or just to replace the tree.

I am also not sure what you mean by the statement that you will not be able to clean the mess for years if you just let the tree fall.

 

[SARG]

I don't know how a Maple would react ....... but I have "almost" cut a Sunburst Locust down a half dozen times and it grows back. It actually looks pretty crappy but the wife still wants it. A fifteen foot "bush" with a 14" trunk.

 

[czechsonofagun]

If it goes down on it's own, there will be a huge stump I will not be able to dig or move with my 20HP Kubota. And the primary goal is to keep some trees on our land, we are planting some each year.

 

[brin]

Our land was full grown forest 20 or so years ago. Previous owners cleared most of them out and left few significant trees. Now one of the maples is leaning due to clay soil, prevailing winds and such. If I let it fall down, it is gonna be a huge mess I will not be able to clean for years. The tree is easily 3 feet in diameter one foot above the ground.

Now I got this idea to cut it in winter say 5 feet from the ground and maybe the stump will regrow with little branches. Anybody done anything like that? I think I would have to protect the stump from rain and rot. Ideas, experience?

Prokop,

If you want to save the tree...why not try and winch it back upright and then support it by driving heavy rebar into the ground as stakes and cable it to the tree until the roots bet re-established..even if you had to call in a heavy truck with a winch..it should not be that expensive..

I did that once with an oak tree that I wanted to save but I had my JD 3020 and put a chain around the trunk wrapped in a tarp to prevent abrasions and pulled the tree back upright ( it had been laid over by winds ) and then I used rebar driven into the ground and cables to hold the tree up..took about 2 yrs. and the roots had grabbed hold and I removed the cable and rebar and all was well...Good luck with it..

 

[MossRoad]

Our land was full grown forest 20 or so years ago. Previous owners cleared most of them out and left few significant trees. Now one of the maples is leaning due to clay soil, prevailing winds and such. If I let it fall down, it is gonna be a huge mess I will not be able to clean for years. The tree is easily 3 feet in diameter one foot above the ground.

Now I got this idea to cut it in winter say 5 feet from the ground and maybe the stump will regrow with little branches. Anybody done anything like that? I think I would have to protect the stump from rain and rot. Ideas, experience?

My guess is any suckers that would grow out of the stump would be very weak trees. Best to take it down, burn out the stump if you don't want to dig it out, or have it ground out. Then replant a nice specimen tree of your choice.

 

[Baby Grand]

My guess is any suckers that would grow out of the stump would be very weak trees. Best to take it down, burn out the stump if you don't want to dig it out, or have it ground out. Then replant a nice specimen tree of your choice.

Dont do it, mon!

I couldn't agree more. I grew up in an area of coppice red oaks, which we cut to keep warm. What a pain. They all grow with a built in lean. When one goes, the group becomes unbalanced. A true pain to cut a single stem safely. And they always hang up in a coppice neighbor.

Think long term and either jack your existing tree back to vertical as brin suggests, or fell it and be done with it. Then you can start something good growing in it's place.

-Jim

 

[smstonypoint]

My guess is any suckers that would grow out of the stump would be very weak trees. Best to take it down, burn out the stump if you don't want to dig it out, or have it ground out. Then replant a nice specimen tree of your choice.

In the finest TBN tradition, I will disagree.

Depending on your objectives, coppicing could be a viable alternative. I take it that this is woodland that you are not managing for timber. Cut down the tree and thin the suckers if you want a single trunk.

I have coppiced red maples growing on a cut-over tract of my farm. Unfortunately for me, they are doing quite well and are competing with the loblolly pines that were planted after the clear-cut.

Steve

 

[MossRoad]

In the finest TBN tradition, I will disagree.

Depending on your objectives, coppicing could be a viable alternative. I take it that this is woodland that you are not managing for timber. Cut down the tree and thin the suckers if you want a single trunk.

I have coppiced red maples growing on a cut-over tract of my farm. Unfortunately for me, they are doing quite well and are competing with the loblolly pines that were planted after the clear-cut.

Steve

He wants to cut a 3' diameter tree 5' above the ground and let suckers grow out of the outside growth rings. That is not coppicing. Plus, coppicing looks like heck. Very unattractive to have stumps with shoots. It is used for production of wood, not aesthetic beauty. I think he wants a nice looking wooded area, not a stick farm.

 

[smstonypoint]

He wants to cut a 3' diameter tree 5' above the ground and let suckers grow out of the outside growth rings. That is not coppicing. Plus, coppicing looks like heck. Very unattractive to have stumps with shoots. It is used for production of wood, not aesthetic beauty. I think he wants a nice looking wooded area, not a stick farm.

Again, in TBN tradition.

He mentioned cutting it off at 5' as a possibility. He could presumably cut the stump off closer to the ground. I can't speak to his objectives - that's his call. But it is feasible.

Steve

 

[Egon]

Cut the tree higher and see what happens. You can always change things.

In our area it seems about 30 feet is the height to cut.

Note: some observations absolutely no knowledge!

 

[czechsonofagun]

I finally got a picture of that tree. You can see it can't really be straightened up. And the roots are coming out on the left side.

 

[MossRoad]

I finally got a picture of that tree. You can see it can't really be straightened up. And the roots are coming out on the left side.

Cut it down and have the stump ground out or burn it out. Or cut it off level and put a planter on the stump. Heck, carve it into a bear with a chainsaw!

Leaners with the root ball that big are dangerous. You never know when it will come down. It is too close to the other trees and they are all competing for sunlight, which distorts the shape of their branches. I would not plant another tree there, either, as it will be shaded by the existing trees. Depending on species, it will either be stunted by the lack of sunlight and take forever to grow to any size, or, it will grow very fast and grow towards any hole in the canopy while seeking sunlight. Its branches will get intertwined with the branches of the trees around it, they will rub together causing wounds in the bark which opens the door to disease, insects and rot and you (or perhaps the next generation) will just have more problems.

That's my professional opinion. O.K. I'm not a professional. :laughing: But I have lived in big woods for the first 24 years of my life and have managed our 20 acre tree farm for the last 21 years for veneer timber, firewood and wildlife habitat and plant species diversity. You can manage for timber production, firewood production, environmental diversity, aesthetic beauty, or, just for whatever makes you happy. Just be careful around that leaner. :thumbsup:

 

[MossRoad]

I finally got a picture of that tree. You can see it can't really be straightened up. And the roots are coming out on the left side.

Another thing. Looking at the pictures, notice how there are two trunks, but most of the branches are on one side of them. Without seeing the tops of the trees, it looks like the branches were growing away from the other existing trees, seeking sunlight. That put more weight on the leaning side of the tree, which illustrates my earlier point that the trees will compete for and seek sunlight. If you put another tree in the same spot, chances are it will do the same thing in 50-100 years.... grow all its branches towards the open spot to the right of the picture, then lean that way once it gets too heavy.

Again, just my opinion. You have some big mature trees there. :thumbsup:

 

[czechsonofagun]

Actually to the left of the tree it is wide open towards the pond. The main problem is these trees were left from the original forestation and they are not grown to be exposed to strong winds. To the left is the North and most of our strong winds come from that direction.

Sound advice MossRoad, I will take it down this winter.

 

[MossRoad]

Actually to the left of the tree it is wide open towards the pond.

Ahh, but the tree doesn't sense the pond and open area on the left. It sense the shade of the trees to the left of it in the picture, so it grows to the right to try to find sunlight. That's just my best guess, of course.

Personally, I hate to take down trees if not necessary. However, the tree is damaged and the wood can be put to good use. The surrounding trees will fill in the canopy around it in a few short years. Burn the wood for heat. Cook over it. Make it into lumber for furniture. Make coat racks and give them to family and friends. Let it rot for other organisms to feed on. It never goes to waste.

 

[forgeblast]

I was going to say i would take it out. first you will release the surrounding trees to get more light/nutirents and they will be better off then compeating with the leaner.

 

[milkman636]

I see about 3-4 weeks of fire wood that's easy to get to in those pictures. There are probably some volunteers in your neighborhood that would be happy to cut it down to the ground in exchange for the wood.

 

[Thomas]

Soggy ground w/wind,if you can feel the ground roots are breathing air..just matter of time before up rooting.