Stack 'em up or leave them standing?

[Woodsrover]

As I posted about 10 days ago, I had a pretty good storm come through my land and take a bunch of trees out.  Among the mess are about 10 really nice white pines that broke off anywhere from 20 to 40 feet in the air.  With all the other stuff on the ground I surely don't need these for lumber right now.  Am I better off to leave the stalks standing and cut them down in a year or two when I'm ready or drop them now?  I'm worried about them drying out if I put them on the ground.  What ya'll think?

[tcsmpsi]

A large part of that, will depend on where you are.

[opticsguy]

You have plenty to do this year, leave the standing trees alone, they will be there when you need em and wont be in your way.   One year on the stump is no problem and the bark just might come off easier next year.   You could still cut the tops that are on the ground.  and . . . . sounds like you got plenty on the ground to cut and keep you busy for a long time.

[Peter Drouin]

cut them down make lumber and sell the lumber . left on the stump they will go bad . and not make good lumber, you might have some nice lumber there to get the top price for them,  mill now

[Woodsrover]

I'm in NW CT.

Not sure what the right thing to do is.  I'm afraid they'll rot on the stump if I don't take them down but I probably won't get a chance to mill them until at least this fall or spring.  They're beautiful straight/clear trucks and I'd hate to waste them.  Maybe I should take the time, mill them now and put them up.  Looks like among the projects already planned this spring is a new shed-roof off the back of the barn and stack lumber in!

[hamish]

Leave then till the fall or spring, the roots are still in the ground and will continue to nourish the tree.  Besides your not allowed to finish your mill shed ahead of me!

[Macgyver]

Hey Woodsrover,
I got that same storm up the hill.  Wasn't at the house when it hit, but I heard it was as nasty as we've had up there in a long time.  We lost 5 of our big maples, the ones that used to line rt45 and the old stone walls, I think before it was even paved.  I just happened to move my mill to the driveway so I could make a few modifications, but had I left it where it was there wouldn't be much left of it. 

My plan with the saw logs is to set big branches under them, buck them, and let them drop on the branches to keep them off the ground, paint the ends, and continue the cleanup effort.  I'll have my dessert and mill them once the yard looks decent again. 

[beenthere]

Woodsrover
You should be fine either way, .... cutting down and stacking logs or ......leaving stand on stump, being that you will mill them this fall or spring.
If leaving through next summer, then I'd be more concerned about any significant degrade. At most may get some blue stain but that won't affect the strength...just the appearance.
Do what best fits your schedule cleaning things up. IMO  ;)

[Chuck White]

They'll most likely last longer on the stump than stacked.

If there are a couple of limbs on them, they'll last quite a while!

[wormy]

dont know about ct but here in tennessee white pine on the ground gets beatles in them real fast i would leave them standing til i got ready mill them

[Woodsrover]

Hey Woodsrover,
I got that same storm up the hill.

Yeah, quite a storm.  I'm getting through the stuff I can see from the house and will pick at the rest when time allows.  Been working most nights after work and the past two weekends on it.  Even had my wife feeding the chipper yesterday.  I've got enough firewood on the ground for at least four of five years and enough logs for lumber to build all I want and then some.

I'd say give me a shout if you need any help but I'm up to my ears already!  Seriously though, if you need an extra hand with something, don't be shy.

[Chris Burchfield]

I'm with wormy, leave them standing till you need them.  Experienced having pine down with in 10 days pine beetle started their work.  Making holes through out the log.  If the tree is alive the beetles will leave it alone.  Once downed or dead, the beetles start their work.

[Ron Wenrich]

You'll also get blue stain in this type of weather if you cut them.  But, I wouldn't let them stand for a year or two.  The bugs will get to them even when they're standing. 

[WDH]

I would make it a priority to mill the lumber.

[bugdust]

It's quite common in these parts to find pine blow-downs, and I've found them to be solid up to a year. During the year the bark will begin to break apart, and you may see some early sap wood be doughty, but the slab will take care of this. It's much better to leave standing than to stack on the ground, deterioation will come slower. As a matter of fact I'm facing this problem too, and plan to let them stand unless I find an earlier need for the lumber.

[Magicman]

Standing, but when you do put them on the ground, always get them off of the ground if they can not be sawed within a few weeks.  Bark holds moisture so remove it.


 
I use these to remove the loose bark.