Author Topic: Three Trees With One Blow (Read 10382 times)

WDH · « **on:** June 10, 2007, 07:40:56 pm »

We had a lightning strike during a thunderstorm last week. Found the evidence yesterday. The lightning bolt nailed three trees, 2 white oaks and a pignut hickory. The smallest white oak had all the bark blown off. From the pic, you can see the two small white oaks on the left and the hickory on the right. The middle tree, the smallest white oak, looks like the bark was skinned off. The hickory is about 20" in diameter.

I don't care too much about the young white oaks, but the hickory is a fine tree.

I don't give the hickory much hope, but before I gave up on it, I thought I would ask about any similar experiences that y'all might have had. Have you had any live that were struck like this?

Radar67 · « **Reply #1 on:** June 10, 2007, 08:41:52 pm »

Danny, I sure hope my woods look that good one day.

As for the tree, I would think you should cut it down and make some lumber. I've not seen too many trees fair well after a strike. If it does survive, it is sure to have some serious damage inside.

Stew

Don K · « **Reply #2 on:** June 10, 2007, 08:47:32 pm »

Danny, What kind of treatment have you used to get those open woods. I know hardwoods don't do too well with fire. Don

WDH · « **Reply #3 on:** June 10, 2007, 11:22:36 pm »

Stew and Don,

My home is located on a 10 acre upland hardwood site with seven species of oak, two species of hickory, ash, cherry, redbud, rusty blackhaw, persimmon, black gum, sweetgum, maple, hawthorne, etc. Over the years (many

), I have sprayed Garlon 4 to control the understory. It has worked very well. I have not had to spray for 7 or 8 years since the overstory has provided enough shade to keep the undergrowth down. A case of a good bit of up-front investment that has paid out. In the fall with the change in color, it is very picturesque.

I too fear that the hickory is a goner. Rarely have I seen a lightning struck tree survive. The first 20' is clear, and it is 30' to the first limb. It will saw some fine hickory lumber, and the top will make great firewood. Guess what my fall project will be

. I will most likely saw it 8/4 so I have some thick stock. I would rather that it survive, but I am not too optimistic.

Since last year and his spring, I have lost 8 or 10 nice oaks to the drought. Maybe more. Most are not very good grade, but a couple are, so the little LT 15 will get a chance to shine

.

SwampDonkey · « **Reply #4 on:** June 11, 2007, 06:18:34 am »

Here is your chance to make some hickory furniture instead of only looking at standing trees.

Like the logger always said, 'I can't just cut the junk all the time'.

cheers

WDH · « **Reply #5 on:** June 11, 2007, 09:02:41 am »

SD,

I guess that with every problem comes an opportunity

.

metalspinner · « **Reply #6 on:** June 11, 2007, 11:40:55 am »

How does lightening struck wood handle? Is the log split fro the strike? Does the wood stay together once sawn and dryed?0

WDH · « **Reply #7 on:** June 11, 2007, 12:08:10 pm »

Not really sure. I think that the wood is OK. I suspect that the lightning fries the cambium and kills the tree.

tonich · « **Reply #8 on:** June 11, 2007, 12:58:03 pm »

Quote from: SwampDonkey on June 11, 2007, 06:18:34 am

Like the logger always said, 'I can't just cut the junk all the time'.

Hm,
That sound rather familiar to me – seems like all the loggers have studied in one and the same school.

Dan,
you’re surely a good woodlot owner – this is what the picture tells me, and not only this one…

But, are you sure the tree will die? And is worth dealing with logging/transport/sowing for a single tree?
This, will somehow make sense, if you do all this by yourself and if the sawmill is not remoted…

I have seen many spruce trees, nailed by a lighting bolt and almost all of them are in relatively good conditions, while only a few are gone dead. I’m sure this will be a very nice hickory furniture, though. Just make sure, keeping us updated!

Dodgy Loner · « **Reply #9 on:** June 11, 2007, 01:01:38 pm »

I've seen a hickory survive a strike like that, but the wood where the bark was blown off had rotted pretty badly. If you want any lumber out of that tree, it'd probably be best to go ahead and put the sawmill to work. After all, I know how much you love sawing up hickory!

Dodgy Loner · « **Reply #10 on:** June 11, 2007, 01:05:15 pm »

Quote from: tonich on June 11, 2007, 12:58:03 pm

Dan,
you’re surely a good woodlot owner – this is what the picture tells me, and not only this one…
But, are you sure the tree will die? And is worth dealing with logging/transport/sowing for a single tree?
This, will somehow make sense, if you do all this by yourself and if the sawmill is not remoted…

That tree is only a short tractor drive away from his sawmill, so transportation shouldn't be an issue. When you own your own mill, a single tree like that one is always worth it!

WDH · « **Reply #11 on:** June 11, 2007, 01:24:11 pm »

Hickory lumber is OK if you don't have to plane it

$:-\$ .

Dodgy Loner · « **Reply #12 on:** June 11, 2007, 01:32:23 pm »

So how long before you get a 4' drum sander and one of those fancy jointers with the spirally-arranged carbide blades? That ought to make life a little easier.

WDH · « **Reply #13 on:** June 11, 2007, 05:09:50 pm »

Been studying on that spirally arranged carbide jointer

.

Radar67 · « **Reply #14 on:** June 11, 2007, 05:11:36 pm »

Danny, what was the process for spraying the Garlon? Did you just walk through the woods and spray what you wanted to kill, or was there another method used?

Stew

WDH · « **Reply #15 on:** June 11, 2007, 05:24:02 pm »

Exactly, Stew. I used a 3 gallon pump-up sprayer and meandered around and sprayed anything that was weedy, viney, or unwanted. That includes the green brier, the grapevine, trumpet creeper and stuff up to waist high. Green brier and grapevine especially contribute to the woods being unsightly and overgrown. I mixed at a 3% solution in water. Also added round-up in many of the tank mixes to get any grass and other weeds that I did not want. As long as you don't soak the base of a desirable tree, there is no effect on the overstory. I don't believe either round-up or garlon are soil active.

Dodgy Loner · « **Reply #16 on:** June 11, 2007, 05:41:05 pm »

Quote from: WDH on June 11, 2007, 05:09:50 pm

Been studying on that spirally arranged carbide jointer .

Me too.

Just wait 'til my income exceeds $1000 a month.

SwampDonkey · « **Reply #17 on:** June 11, 2007, 06:14:06 pm »

AHHHHHHH!!

WDH is gonna kill my beaked hazel, striped maple, blackberry, raspberry, and bush honeysuckle.

Ok! I'm fine now.

WDH · « **Reply #18 on:** June 11, 2007, 07:57:03 pm »

Now now Swamp Donkey! I never mentioned those fine species. I was at Tcsmpsi's place and we were talking about controlling privet. While walking near some of his yaupon holly, I mentioned that I was pulling the privet up by the roots with a tractor and chain. Later, he said his little yaupons had been traumitized by my insensitive comments

.

Whatever you do, don't tell the beaked hazel, striped maple, blackberry, raspberry, and bush honeysuckle about me walking around with a pump-up sprayer. That is like the "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" to a little tree or shrub

.

Dodgy Loner · « **Reply #19 on:** June 11, 2007, 10:06:58 pm »

I'm pretty sure WDH's woodlot never contained 4 of those 5 species...but I do take issue with his disdain for trumpet creeper

.

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Author Topic: Three Trees With One Blow (Read 10382 times)