Growing a woodlot with osage orange trees

[IthacaJeff 151]

Hi all,

Somewhat of a gardening question. We are thinking of growing a woodlot for future use on a couple

acres of old field (now mostly goldenrod and other weeds). Eventually we would like to switch to

burning wood from our current propane. Osage orange looks to be our best candidate for the

firewood. Osage orange is the hardest domestic wood and competes for the highest BTU value.

It is a fast growing hardwood and can be coppiced for better woodlot management. Osage orange

(aka "hedge") is normally very thorny with huge and messy seed pods, but newer varieties such as

"white shield" are thornless and pod-less.

 

My questions. . . Getting the white shield locally in CNY is difficult and not cheap. Anyone out there have

root or stem cuttings cheap?

 

Any experience with the woodlot ground cover? I'm preparing the field now (about 1/8th acre as a test

run), mowing down the weeds, a bit of roundup, and then tilling the soil for a groundcover. I've read a

lot about groundcovers for orchards (a basic fine fescue grass is fine), but I don't know if the same

would work for an osage orange woodlot.

 

Any advice?

 

Thanks,

Jeff

[DoctorHfuhruhurr 137]

There is some on craigslist in South Jersey.  Just search for this in google    3973492513

[dcrage 628]

You do understand how hot and violently(?) hedge burns?? -- Would not be a good choice for open fireplace! -- There would be burn marks (if not out right fires started) from the exploding embers that get launched when burning this wood -- Provided you can adequately deal with this, hedge does contain a LOT of heat!

 

I also suspect it will "burn out" wood stove combustion chambers faster than other woods {no data to support this statement, just my impression (and maybe my Dad verbalized that as reasons for having to get new stoves)}

 

Also have a way to sharpen your saw chains at the ready -- It is hard, hard wood

Edited August 13, 2013 by dcrage

[IthacaJeff 151]

I'l contact the folks in South Jersey. If they are a thorned variety it will be a no - go. 

 

As for the hot fire, that is what you get with dense woods. I've read a lot of comments regarding hedge in

woodstoves. It does pop and burn hot. But modern woodstoves apparently have no problem. The wood

can also be used for other things too.

 

Jeff

[dcrage 628]

 ....The wood can also be used for other things too.

 

Jeff

 

It can make some interesting and nice looking lumber, provided you are willing to deal with the tool sharpening needed after working on this stuff

 

And then there is the ultimate use for hedge -- FENCE POSTS -- There are 50+ year old posts on my Dad's place; still standing; still solid as can be -- Gosh he could build a fence and he was awful good at cutting fence posts out of the hedge windbreak/fence rows that were part of the west Missouri rural landscape back when I was a kid

[GlenPettit 1,717]

** Osage tends to grow twisty, not straight, with lots of branches, and it is hard to cut.  

** For a field or acreage, it might be better to have a variety of different trees.

** Softer woods like in the Popular family grow very fast, tall & straight as the lower branches die/fall off,

are very easy to cut & stack, and the cut logs dry quick, are easy to ignite and burn, and warm up the

house quickly, but they may only last in the furnace 1-2 hours. Some people will say that softwood trees

will give off more heat per YEAR-CORD-BTU output, compared to Hardwoods.  To plant, all you need to 

do is stick fresh twigs in the soft ground in February/March (free).

** Hard woods take much longer to grow, are hard to ignite, & give off more heat slower, will last 4-6 hours.

** Each tree likes a certain type of soil, enviroment, moisture & sun/growing -- a variety of trees can handle

the crazy changes in weather, and at least some will always grow.

** Plus, in a mixed woodlot, it's an invitation to the critters & nature to entertain us.

Good Luck,

[posifour11 723]

I agree with dcrage. Hot, hot stuff. I made my living in high school by cutting hedge for posts and firewood. If you're planning to burn in an indoor stove, make sure to go above and beyond the code when insulating the chimney.

[dcrage 628]

Jeff

Not sure what your concern is about ground cover around hedge trees - What I do know is that in the Midwest hedge was used as fence row material and was planted as windbreaks during the dust bowl recovery - Anyway I have never heard of any problems with any row crop or pasture - I have seen all sorts of crops next to hedge rows - So I know that your fescue would be OK next to hedge trees

Also while 'normal' hedge has thorns, it is not impossible to work with like locust - I would think of it as bring a little worse to handle than mulberry - Good leather gloves and keeping the brush / limbs cleaned up will let you handle this wood

So if you really want to do this don't rule out 'normal' hedge

[IthacaJeff 151]

Good points all.  Our goal here is to make something of 3 overgrown acres. Based on what the mrs and I

can handle, a woodlot seems a better bet that other options. Here is my rationale for hedge. For a hardwood

it does grow fast. Not like willow or other trees, but but does okay. It can be coppiced to control growth and

manage the lumber. The best branches can be used for lumber or fenceposts, the crooked stuff for firewood.

Sounds like something I'd like to try. I'm a novice, but looking ahead for the next 5-10 years. I'm hoping to

get rid of my propane by that time. It would be nice to have my own supply of fuel.

 

We need to plant a wind/snow break along the main road as well as to screen the neighbors. We've planted

firs, but they are wicked slow growing. This spring we'll plant some willow cuttings in strategic locations to

serve as screens when the willows get larger.  As of right now we plan on one row of SOMETHING behind the

firs. Figured it might as well be something that can provide multiple purposes. It this works out, perhaps we'll

plant more. If we really like the woodlot idea, we will plant mixed woods -- poplar, perhaps a few black locust,

and more. I've got poorly drained soils with silty loam. Based on what I've read, hedge should do as well or

better than some other species. 

 

From an  economic standpoint hedge offers a few things in this area. I'm in a pretty "green" area, where 

sustainability is key. Hedge fits the profile, is somewhat "exotic" in this area, and is not readily available for

lumber or firewood. If it all ends up in a bust, we'll still have the wind/snow screen.  

 

Jeff

[brandonozz 168]

 

 ....The wood can also be used for other things too.

 

Jeff

 

It can make some interesting and nice looking lumber, provided you are willing to deal with the tool sharpening needed after working on this stuff

 

And then there is the ultimate use for hedge -- FENCE POSTS -- There are 50+ year old posts on my Dad's place; still standing; still solid as can be -- Gosh he could build a fence and he was awful good at cutting fence posts out of the hedge windbreak/fence rows that were part of the west Missouri rural landscape back when I was a kid

 

 

I have never used hedge for fence posts but I have heard from many others of the amazing ability to last 100 years or more and still be unchanged by time.  Lots and lots of fences in Oklahoma and Kansas made with them.

But, the ultimate use of Osage is bowmaking.  In my opinion (and many others) it is the best all around bow making wood there is.  Of course, I may be a little biased on the subject!

[IthacaJeff 151]

I've heard the same about osage and bow-making. Don't know any bow makers, but if the select

pieces of osage wood can fetch a good price, then I'm all for it. 

 

Jeff

[shorts 182]

If you're looking for fuel wood I'd have to look at poplar like Glen said, in the past 30 years or so it ha ben hybridized to grow extremely fast for use as fuel, windbreaks, visual barriers and also to suck some kinds of pollutants out of the ground.  It roots from cuttings from a live tree just stuck in the ground, sandy soil Is best for rooting cuttings but most soil will work. I'd start off with several rows of plants spaced far enough apart that your mower will fit between them after you have come thru and cut out every other tree in about five years for firewood, after that take out every other row to allow for a healthy woodlot and fuel as required. With a little luck the squirrels wil help out and plant some other desirable trees for you or you can help them out at your convience.

[puddlejumper 67]

Give locust some consideration also, hot fire,plus it holds well when the damper is closed, and grows fast and straight, Not much brush to contend with, Plus you can plant closer together without having the jungle sprawling,twisted hedges would produce

[IthacaJeff 151]

It is definitely going to be an experiment. A couple of years ago we bought seedlings

from the county soil and water district -- perhaps 80 trees of 10 different species. About half

the species died off the first two years (mostly firs/pines), and most of the others were

eaten by deer and other critters. Live and learn. We've managed to restore many of the

nibbled seedlings by using tree tubes, which we'll use again. We also made the mistake of

not keeping the weeds at bay around the young trees.

 

This time the plan is for osage orange, hybrid poplar, a few black locusts (which may get

out of hand if not careful), and some larch (tamarack). The goal is to grow a mixed tree crop

of useful wood. . . firewood, lumber, windscreen, and a fast-growing wildlife forest. It may only be

my kids that see any economic benefit, but that is good enough for me.

 

Appreciate the input, gents.

Jeff