So my Apricot tree decided to take a nap…

[BBillFleet]

It had always had a bit of lean to it (toward the sun), but after a week of rain, it began to lean more and more. Then the other day, it went all the way over, and here we are. My wife thinks I could just prop it back up, but a day after this pic was taken, the leaves began to wither and die, telling me that the roots have broken off under the surface.

So now, of course, it will become wood for smoking. And here I am looking for a bit of advice. How best to attack this? I have several wood splitting wedges, plus any number of cutting devices, like a chainsaw, bandsaw, etc.

What I’m thinking:

Option 1: cut up all branches and larger into 1-2-foot lengths. Larger pieces I can split to open them up. Cord them, cover them, keep them dry until next spring. Then I can cut them up into chunks for use. Smaller thinner branches and twigs can just be chopped up for kindling / chips.

Option 2: most all the same as options 1, but cutting / splitting everything into chunks first. Stacking to dry might be harder, tho. Putting them into bins for storage might slow drying.or encourage mold.

Bark: Should I worry about the bark? Once dried, would it chip off easier, or just not bother?

And while I’m at it, should i use this approach for my last apple tree? It’s already half-dead, and could easily be all-dead. Like I mentioned above, I have a chainsaw, and it’s very satisfying to use for things like this.

[jfmorris]

Apricot should make good smoking wood, as would the apple if you cut it down. I would go with option 1, as it will be easier to split and cut into chunks when the wood has dried some. Don’t worry about removing bark. I’ve never seen issues with hardwood or fruit wood bark in smoking.

[SheilaAnn]

Nooooooooo!

I get applewood from a local apple farmer from FM. I just use the bark for kindling. I imagine the bark from your tree would be the same. As jfmorris stated.

[tstalafuse]

Great for smoking, but that sucks. One of my best memories was going to my grandmother's house and picking apricots/peaches/cherries straight from the trees.

[BBillFleet]

Alas, this tree has never given us much in the way of fruit. It always sets dozens of little apricot, then they disappear one by one until all are gone. I blame the squirrels.

[theroc]

Sorry about the loss of your apricot tree.
We’ve been smoking and grilling with apricot wood from trimmings from our tree for years and it is great. Never bothered trimming the bark.

As for your two options, we’ve done both without any trouble. Our smoker uses chunks so it is convenient to have them pre-cut and ready to go once they dry. However, the chunks are less convenient to store.

[HawkerXP]

I lost a black oak the same way last week. I had to get rid of it all. Poison ivy wrapped all around it.

[BBillFleet]

Ugh, I hate poison ivy. It's hard to kill, and even then you can't burn it to dispose of it. Here in Charlotte, i can leave brush up by the road, and garbage collection will take it away, but I don't dare leave poison ivy for someone else to handle. That's nasty.

[ItsAllGoneToTheDogs]

With some root promoting liquid it might come back, just stake it and run rope from 3-4 sides. Worst case you end up with some root stuff for other plants and some stakes and rope for a future emergency along with fire wood.

[BBillFleet]

A closer inspection of the tree base showed the roots almost completely snapped off just at soil level, so I don't think it's coming back. It's time for some chainsaw therapy.

[Lock Stock and Barrel]

Apricot trees are very likey to get Phytophthora, a bacteria that weakens and kills roots if the tree is overwatered in a wet area or next to a driveway where the water can keep the soil wet. Its great you grew your own smoking wood but as a old time gardener for your next apricot tree I would plant on a steep well drained area to keep the roots out of the water. I have a peach tree that is gigantic by any standard within 8 feet of the street. but, it is 18 inches higher and slopes off to the sidewalk and is in mostly sand....produces 1000 peaches each year that have to be thinned to 500.

[Huskee]

What did you end up doing with it, Bill? Apricot is a great BBQ wood, especially when free.

[Santamarina]

Sigh…another post that slide through the cracks for me. 🤦♂️

We had an apricot tree that was a prolific producer…hundreds of fruits each season. Always had to fight the birds to get the best fruit.

Alas, it gave up the ghost. It wasn’t a huge tree, so it all became small logs and kindling. There were a few from the base that I could’ve split, but we moved before I could use it all.

Hope yours is fueling some tasty barbecue!