# What's the trick to burning hedge?



## kswoodcutter (Jan 9, 2010)

It's been below zero the last couple of nights so I broke out my stash of Hedge to burn and for some reason the stove is not heating up all the way. I should say that this is only my second season using a wood stove. I moved up to KS from deep S TX where cold is 45.

The Hedge has been stacked since April and is in fairly large hand split pieces or 2 to 4 inch logs. A moisture meter fails to register anything at all, but then again I can barely get the probes in. I burned some green hedge earlier in the season and I would swear it burned hotter than Hades. I have also burned some well seasoned hedge that burned hot as well. So why wont the this batch seem to burn well? I really can't open the stove to poke at the fire without a welding jacket and helmet due to the fireworks display unless I let it burn down a little first, which complicates the matter. To make sure it wasn't the stove, I threw in some Walnut and the stove heated up. Plus, I used some of this same batch in my workshop stove and it failed to burn hot as well.

So, just looking for some advice on burning Hedge. It is plentiful around here and I would like to take advantage of the btu's. Plus my stove has a thermostatic damper so that I don't have to worry about a meltdown.


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## coog (Jan 9, 2010)

I'm stumped.It will usually burn green just about as well as it does dry.Did you cut it out at the old asbestos plant?


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## indiansprings (Jan 9, 2010)

In the barn stove we just usually throw about a 1lb folgers can of diesel in on it when starting it with the flue wide open, it gets it burning. But it's surrounded by concrete, no danger of getting to hot.


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## iowa (Jan 9, 2010)

Not enough draft? Chimney clogged a bit? I'm burning some I cut less than a yr ago. It burns cherry red-blue haze!


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## coog (Jan 9, 2010)

I've got a stove full going as well.Glad to have it, but I won't let anyone else tend the stove when I'm burning hedge...scary stuff.


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## kswoodcutter (Jan 9, 2010)

*I'm stumped too*

I'm stumped too. The stove has great draft. Probably a little too good. 

I've sold all of my good wood, but I'm going to see if I can scrounge up some walnut to test against the Hedge. I guess I should have saved some for myself. 

This snow is killing me. I can't get to my wood reserves!


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## Ljute (Jan 9, 2010)

kswoodcutter said:


> I'm stumped too. The stove has great draft. Probably a little too good.
> 
> I've sold all of my good wood, but I'm going to see if I can scrounge up some walnut to test against the Hedge. I guess I should have saved some for myself.
> 
> This snow is killing me. I can't get to my wood reserves!



Did the walnut help it burn? I was going to suggest mixing it.

So hedge sparks? Never burnt it, but it sounds a lot like locust which sparks up too. 

If I burn straight locust I get too many coals and have to burn them up with some other wood. Scrap pieces of 1" thick oak fencing really helps it along!


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## coog (Jan 9, 2010)

Get a Walnut fire going and then add your Hedge.I have had Hedge that was almost fossilized it was so hard.You may have to try smaller splits, too.Lots of guys around here cut and burn the stuff the same week.Good luck.Too damn cold for mysterious wood problems!


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## KsWoodsMan (Jan 9, 2010)

Large pieces are harder to start. I'll rake all my coals to the back of the stove then add 5,6 or 7 of the 2" stickes to it and have enough heat that green Elm will catch on fire. 

I burn in a boxwood stove with a North/South arrangement. I'll add 2 (maybe 3) larger splits of hedge to this and they dont take long to catch and keep each other going. If I have enough room to stand a 4th split on end in front of them I'll add one more that will catch once the others have nearly burned up and give a nice even heat as it burns down through the night.

By the time the fire reaches that last piece it is oven dry and will burn like a large chunk of coal at the front of my stove.


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## laynes69 (Jan 9, 2010)

Like locust, hedge doesn't off-gas as quick. When I burn it I need to keep the damper open longer to really get it burning before closing the damper. Putting a softer wood down first then placing the hedge on top would help. Once burning its like coal.


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## kswoodcutter (Jan 9, 2010)

*No trouble starting it*

I definitely don't have a problem getting it started. I also start with a N/S arrangement, but with some small pine pieces. Then I add Hedge and it starts right up. 

Later today I am going to try and split the Hedge into smaller pieces to see if that helps. Perhaps even later, I can make it back to my reserves and get some walnut. 

Right now my stove is running at about 600, which is as hot as I've been able to get it for a couple of days now. I prefer 800. Stove: US Stove Co Wonderwood on it's last leg with an 8 inch chimney. Previous owner tried to melt down the stove. He must have propped open the damper. The chimney is in great shape. I clean it at least every 60 days. More weather permitting.

KsWoodsMan - The flint hills? One of the most beautiful places on earth.


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## WadePatton (Jan 9, 2010)

yeah.

i've been runing 80% green osage for a couple of weeks now. i have to work (more than usual) to keep the coals from clogging up the stove.

and running it *mixed is the best* way to get max heat. but i've no real trouble running straight green osage. (but i did collect the little stuff too).

amazing how this green wood-straight off the stump burns just like seasoned...seasoned osage that is.

i threw a green elm in once....hahaha, may as well burn rocks.


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## Constrictor (Jan 9, 2010)

I burned up about a half a cord of year old dry hedge and im not impressed, after all ive heard about the stuff,


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## kentuckyblue (Jan 9, 2010)

i have some osage but have not cut it yet i have been burning a wild cherry that was storm damage and it burns great and some green hackberry may try a piece of osage for my over night burn so i can sleep more than 3 hrs at a time


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## kswoodcutter (Jan 9, 2010)

*Coals clogging it up*

I think I have figured out what my problem is. I believe the coals are clogging up the grate and not allowing enough air to pass through. It's hard to rake the grate when sparks are flying everywhere, so I tend to neglect it. Tomorrow I am going to try to put a lot less in and see what happens.


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## kswoodcutter (Jan 10, 2010)

*[solved]*

After some experimentation, I found out that indeed the Hedge was preventing adequate airflow to the firebox. I have shaker grates, but due to the fireworks display, I didn't shake it often enough to keep air flowing. The solution was, as most here have pointed out, to mix Hedge with something else. I did and boy what a difference! I will definitely continue to burn Hedge now that I know what is required.

Reps sent. Thanks.


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## coog (Jan 10, 2010)

sure, figure it out when it's finally warming up!


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