Does anyone know how long it takes to season hackberry? I have one that I plan on cutting down and bucking to length in January, and splitting in March. Will it be seasoned by November? I've never burnt it before, so I had to ask. Thanks.
How long to season Hackberry?
- Thread starter burroak
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gink595
Addicted to ArboristSite
I don't care for Hackberry, it is a heavy wood when it's green and very stringy like elm but it doesn't burn all that great. I would think you could burn it in Nov.
Hackberry Ready to Burn in 3 to 6 months
Hackberry like Ash is a low moisture content firewood. In years past it was used for church pews in the South. It is good for October and November firewood or to mix when it gets colder. I call it an EPA firewood because when the stove gets hot it will burn clean with very little smoke coming out of the stack sometimes no smoke at all. It also has a pleasant smelling aroma. It is ready to burn in 3 to 6 months. Also stack it with the bark side down for a quicker drying time.
Hackberry like Ash is a low moisture content firewood. In years past it was used for church pews in the South. It is good for October and November firewood or to mix when it gets colder. I call it an EPA firewood because when the stove gets hot it will burn clean with very little smoke coming out of the stack sometimes no smoke at all. It also has a pleasant smelling aroma. It is ready to burn in 3 to 6 months. Also stack it with the bark side down for a quicker drying time.
jimbojango
ArboristSite Guru
you can cut ash and hackberry and light it the same night and get pretty good heat from it. If you let it go through 4 FULL freezes (warm up and thaw out, then freeze, repeat) it'll be seasoned just as good as if you let it sit til next year. If you wait until november to burn it next year it'll be perfect!
msvold
ArboristSite Operative
I have a fair amount of hackberry in my woodpile, I agree that it doesn't need a full year to season. I don't know this for certain, but I think it goes punky relatively quickly (2nd season). I just notice when stacking, that I wouldn't have thrown that punky piece into my wood pile, don't know if it's bugs, trapped moisture, or my girls helping out when I'm not around, just my observation.
komatsuvarna
Arboristsite MVP
I agree with Gink, Its stringy and hard to bust without a splitter. However, the hackberrys that ive cut there is no way your gonna light it the same night. These had sap running out of them and heavy as green oak.
It dont need a full year, but it still needs its time. Im burning some now that was down in febuary 2010 and its pretty dry. I like to mix it in with some other wood. Seems like a full load of hackberry doesnt want to burn real good, but itll still burn.
It dont need a full year, but it still needs its time. Im burning some now that was down in febuary 2010 and its pretty dry. I like to mix it in with some other wood. Seems like a full load of hackberry doesnt want to burn real good, but itll still burn.
jimbojango
ArboristSite Guru
not burning the night you cut it... I haven't had any problems with it, but we have also had a VERY dry fall, and last fall was the same way which is when i started using green wood all the time. My hackberry tree's are VERY straight and split with a mual easily so i don't know why your guys' are stringy but they sure could be. Have you guys tried china berry? it works great until it sits through a summer 
komatsuvarna
Arboristsite MVP
not burning the night you cut it... I haven't had any problems with it, but we have also had a VERY dry fall, and last fall was the same way which is when i started using green wood all the time. My hackberry tree's are VERY straight and split with a mual easily so i don't know why your guys' are stringy but they sure could be. Have you guys tried china berry? it works great until it sits through a summer
Dont think ive herd of a china berry. Just hackberry and sweetberrry, which look the same other than the leaves.
jimbojango
ArboristSite Guru
a china berry has little red berries on it for one. if you cut china berry there is some bug that eats the wood in the summertime. you HAVE to burn it green or else its just DUST! when you go to pick it up
indiansprings
Firewood Purveyor
Just like was stated very close to ash, low moisture content in three months it will burn fairly well, in six months it will be fine. Not all that bad of wood.
gpsman007
ArboristSite Operative
I split about 2 cords of hackberry in August and am burning in right now with no problem at all. Hackberry is no locust mind you but it is not bad for firewood.
I have found it is one of the best to put in the stove for the all night burn. It will leave large nuggets of red hot coals for the morn. but if you burn it all the time you will need to empty the ashes more cause those little nuggets will build up on you.
my $0.02
I have found it is one of the best to put in the stove for the all night burn. It will leave large nuggets of red hot coals for the morn. but if you burn it all the time you will need to empty the ashes more cause those little nuggets will build up on you.
my $0.02
Hackberry gets punky (we call it pithy) too quick for me. I burn it in the fire pit, but that's about it. Never burned chinaberry, but have had many slingshot fights with the berries when I was a kid. Don't have too many of the trees around much anymore, they used to be plentiful.
kstill361
ArboristSite Operative
Hackberry is great firewood, it is best split with a hyd splitter , it is some stringy wood. It smells good outside comming from the chimney too. I have burned it seasoned for 3 yrs and its not punky if you keep it dry
We get alot of it from fence rows and such, it burns well and there is alot to be had, so i like it.:chainsawguy:
Hackberry is what i burn almost exclusively. I look for the straight ones to cut because they split easily enough with a maul. Crotch pieces require chainsaw or splitter if you have one. Best to season for 9-12 months. Decent heat output, its no hedge or mulberry though. Its abundant along the creek and farm fields at my FIL's place. I've heard the saying "you can burn ash or hackberry green", i suppose you can, but it burns much better after some seasoning. REJ2
I agree. Hackberry loses a lot of weight from green to seasoned. I've burned it fairly green (cut for two months) and when seasoned. It burns much better seasoned. It does not take as long to dry as other wood and is ok within 9 mos or so. Not a great wood in my book, but it all burns.
