Sweet Chestnut in Dorset

[Dorset Treeman]

We cut a load of sweet chestnut in Dorset, over chalky soil, in December and January and just went back to extract it as it was too wet earlier in the year and about 70% has split into 4. We didn't really crash them across other logs so not convinced this is felling related, especially on the scale it is in - Someone suggested it is the soil type???? Or maybe the drying has to be slowed/controlled in some way to prevent this???

 

Has anyone come accross this or can anyone offer any thoughts/advice?

 

It was originally going for a mixture of fencing materials, saw logs and firewood but it will now probably mostly go for firewood now with a small quantity possible salvageable for cleft rails.

 

Thanks

[Dorset Treeman]

Some photos....... Pictures speak a thousand words and all that.

[Brushcutter]

It does that on clay too. I think it is the tension in the wood as it drys out it just cracks especially when its young. Trick is to leave it in pole form until your ready to extract.

[kernowstu]

still usable as fencing only splitting on natural cleft line don't firewood it

[cornish chough]

Hi there

I my experience cracking like that occurs with poor soil conditions - totally useless for milling but ok for clefting