Invasive trees

[HuntressOfLight]

I just read that Osage orange make the best fence posts. Good to know. Anyone got a bunch of trees they need to get rid of?

Well, I just read the following, learning something new about them.

.. and archery bows. In fact, many archers consider the wood of the Osage-orange to be the world's finest wood for bows. (The name bodark is from the French bois d'arc mean "bow wood.")

Our cattle never choked upon them, either, as they claim...

 

[Stone Branch]

I’ve seen deer walk by hundreds of hedge apples on the ground here in central ky and never seen a deer touch one, strange that In different areas they like them that much.

Yeah, I have watched deer walk by hundreds of them on the ground too, then one day you look and they are all gone.

G

 

[Feedman]

Are they better than black locust?

Hedge will last a long time just like a black locust. Once they get seasoned they are hard to drive a steeple in to hold the wire just like a black locust.

 

[EdLongshanks]

Hedge will last a long time just like a black locust. Once they get seasoned they are hard to drive a steeple in to hold the wire just like a black locust.

I’m needing to fence my place and I don’t know what to do. Posts are $16.50 a piece. That’s crazy to me.

 

[bigbonner]

Deer will eat every hedge apple that hits the ground if given the opportunity. I passed on this 8pt late season bow in Iowa, he was eating hedge apples.


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G

Cows will eat them and sometimes die because they get hung in their throat. Had this happen before.
Sometimes they eat the apples, and they get hung and it takes a while for them to work their way down into the stomach.

 

[bigbonner]

I’m needing to fence my place and I don’t know what to do. Posts are $16.50 a piece. That’s crazy to me.

If you are not wanting pretty fence then you could use hedgeapple or Cedar post.
It is the wrong time of year to cut locust post , the sap is up.
Hedgeapple is ok when green but after they dry it is hard to drive steeples in.
Cedar need a lot of red, the white will rot off in a few years.

 

[EdLongshanks]

If you are not wanting pretty fence then you could use hedgeapple or Cedar post.
It is the wrong time of year to cut locust post , the sap is up.
Hedgeapple is ok when green but after they dry it is hard to drive steeples in.
Cedar need a lot of red, the white will rot off in a few years.

That’s what I’ve read. I’m assuming the best time to cut locust is in the winter? Let them dry over a year and debark? I don’t have black locust or hedge. I have a bunch of honey locust. I would love board fence up my driveway and around my barn….but not at the current prices. I’ll likely end up running electric and hoping for a price reduction at some point. I have a few larger cedars. Not a ton though. I guess I could mill them.

 

[HuntressOfLight]

That’s what I’ve read. I’m assuming the best time to cut locust is in the winter? Let them dry over a year and debark? I don’t have black locust or hedge. I have a bunch of honey locust. I would love board fence up my driveway and around my barn….but not at the current prices. I’ll likely end up running electric and hoping for a price reduction at some point. I have a few larger cedars. Not a ton though. I guess I could mill them.

Contact your local tree service companies. Most don't know the first thing about logging and foolishly pay to dump their logs; many even illegally dump them, without paying anyone, especially the fly-by-nighters with a pick-up truck, home-made trailer and saw. With due diligence, you can easily obtain your wood for free in such manner. They will simply bring it to you, in order to be rid of it. I prefer dry stone fencing, myself, but here are some ideas for rustic log fencing and more in which you could consider (just keep scrolling down throughout the link).

How to Build a Log Fence | Homesteady

Selecting the type of fence to build is a matter of available materials and personal preference. While wood slat, aluminum and even plastic fences are more common, log fences are charming and durable, lasting many years. If you live in an area with abundant fallen trees, logs are an inexpensive...

homesteady.com

 

[Feedman]

That’s what I’ve read. I’m assuming the best time to cut locust is in the winter? Let them dry over a year and debark? I don’t have black locust or hedge. I have a bunch of honey locust. I would love board fence up my driveway and around my barn….but not at the current prices. I’ll likely end up running electric and hoping for a price reduction at some point. I have a few larger cedars. Not a ton though. I guess I could mill them.

Ed,
You won't be able to drive a steeple of nail in a locust if they have dried for over a year. Nail gun may work.

 

[bigbonner]

That’s what I’ve read. I’m assuming the best time to cut locust is in the winter? Let them dry over a year and debark? I don’t have black locust or hedge. I have a bunch of honey locust. I would love board fence up my driveway and around my barn….but not at the current prices. I’ll likely end up running electric and hoping for a price reduction at some point. I have a few larger cedars. Not a ton though. I guess I could mill them.

If you had some cedars around the same size and could find a mill that would cut the face off flat , That might be ok. I don't think square post would look very good. If you are good with a chainsaw you might be able to cut the face off yourself.
Treated post make a nice looking fence but I have some that have rotted out in 10 years and I have some that are pushing 30 years.
Cedar will rot the white and the fence will snap off at the ground over time.

 

[Feedman]

You cut cedars out of the mountains not field cedars. We still have some that have been in the ground that my grandfather build fence on. Not much white in a mountain cedar growing close to rock.

 

[EdLongshanks]

Ed,
You won't be able to drive a steeple of nail in a locust if they have dried for over a year. Nail gun may work.

I’m not too particularly worried about fastening fencing. One way or another id figure something out. I work with wood for a living.

 

[EdLongshanks]

If you had some cedars around the same size and could find a mill that would cut the face off flat , That might be ok. I don't think square post would look very good. If you are good with a chainsaw you might be able to cut the face off yourself.
Treated post make a nice looking fence but I have some that have rotted out in 10 years and I have some that are pushing 30 years.
Cedar will rot the white and the fence will snap off at the ground over time.

My buddy bought the harbor freight mill and it’s at our place in mason county.

 

[Carl]

If you had some cedars around the same size and could find a mill that would cut the face off flat , That might be ok. I don't think square post would look very good. If you are good with a chainsaw you might be able to cut the face off yourself.
Treated post make a nice looking fence but I have some that have rotted out in 10 years and I have some that are pushing 30 years.
Cedar will rot the white and the fence will snap off at the ground over time.

Been there, done that one.

 

[grinder]

Hedge is not native to KY it a native to North America but not KY. It was first discovered by modern man during Lewis and Clarks expedition when they entered the Red River basin. Although the largest one currently living is in Harrodsburg it was brought to KY by man. In my book it is an invasive species to KY much like the coyote which has spread east over the last 50+ years.

Im not sure coyotes are invasive. Not sure if they were in ky before white man or not.