RedBeard1987
Full Member
Posts: 46
Joined: Sun Jan 11, 2015 3:28 pm
Location: South suburbs Chicago. Zone 5a

using dead trees

was rootin around my back 40 today I have a small wooded area in the back where I found a few dead trees strewn about. I'm not sure what kind of trees they were but all the bark has fallen off and there are lots of tiny holes all over. ash bore beetle maybe? termites? doesnt seem to be anything living in the holes and the wood seems sturdy enough.

the question is I would like to use this and some freshly downed trees to build a fence around my garden. should I avoid using this wood and stick to the freshly cut down trees? Is it just fire wood? doesnt seem to have any rot. some areas are brittle though.

LIcenter
Senior Member
Posts: 269
Joined: Sun Dec 21, 2014 9:23 am
Location: Long Island, NY Zone 7a/6b-ish

The holes were probably made by woodpeckers when the tree was still standing. If there is no sign of rot or softness to them; Then yes you should be able to make a fence from them.

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AngelicaGray3409
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Posts: 11
Joined: Tue Feb 17, 2015 7:51 am
Location: Sydney

By the way you're explaining the holes, my suggestion is that it's termites or some other pests, which eat wood. And if the bark is falling off the trees, than maybe it's some kind of disease. I would take samples and get them to a local gardening center or something for advice. If it's a disease, it can also affect the other trees in your garden, which is very bad. If you had pictures everything would be a lot easier. But if the wood really looks strong and it's not rotten, then you can use it to build a fence. Otherwise it would be a loss of potentially good materials.

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rainbowgardener
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Posts: 25279
Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2009 6:04 pm
Location: TN/GA 7b

You should be able to tell what kind of damage it is.

Woodpeckers make a bunch of round holes:

Image
https://www.aaanimalcontrol.com/professi ... pecker.jpg

termites make some smaller holes but the wood will be much more eaten away and there will be long channels:

Image
https://www.aquaguard.net/core/images/mo ... ies-lg.jpg

ashborers make holes that are smaller than woodpecker holes and not perfectly round and are packed with frass:

Image
https://nfs.unl.edu/graphics/EAB/lilac%2 ... 0large.jpg

if the bark is off the tree, under the bark you will see the squiggly channels of the ash borer

Image
https://www.ojibway.ca/eab_galleries.jpg



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