Uses for Branches and Logs

We had to get half of our 60 foot hackberry tree cut off and now we have mounds of branches and "logs". Any ideas on what to use these logs for besides saving it for firewood to sell {we don't have a fireplace}. We have lots and lots of branches also!

Gretta from Wayne, OK

Answers:

Uses for Branches and Logs

You could chip up the smaller branches and leaves with a wood chipper and use it for mulch on your plants or for a wood chip garden path.

You could wait & let the leaves die from the branches and use them as mulch around your plants or in your compost.

Offer the wood for sale or freecyle it. Or make an offer for someone to come clean up the tree branches in exchange for ? what have you.

I'm not familiar with hackberry wood, but perhaps you could whittle on some of the branches of appropriate size and length and make walking sticks to sell...maybe at a crafts fair. Or offer them up to someone else who could whittle them into walking sticks. (06/24/2008)

By Sherry

Uses for Branches and Logs

The branches may make good bean poles or tomato stakes. Strip the leaves and smaller branches off of a branch about 5-6 feet long, and sell them as garden stakes or bean poles. Another thing you might do with the logs is to make simple coat racks. Take a 3 inch diameter (mostly straight)log and cut it into about a 3 foot length with a diagonal cut on each end (it is more decorative this way). Leave the bark on.

Drill 3-4 evenly spaced holes on one side, pound pegs (mine were made from peeled 3 inch sections of a smaller branch, about 1/2 inch in diameter) or glue pieces of dowels in the holes. These will be your pegs. Now fasten some type of a hanger on the back, and you have a "primitive" coat rack. It looks really cute, and you could have a wonderful gift to give someone, for little to no cost...just your time. (06/24/2008)

By Patty

Uses for Branches and Logs

Thanks for the input! I might try the coat hanger idea, sounds neat! We cannot locate a wood chipper to borrow. We are still cutting it down to 4-6 ft lengths and piling it for now away form any buildings. (06/24/2008)

Uses for Branches and Logs

With a good chainsaw, you could make garden benches out of them. Just cut 2 stumps and a long piece could be cut on each side to create a bench. Or you could use in large cut pieces as a landscaping bed frame. There are lots of uses. Hope this helps. d (06/24/2008)

By Denise W

Uses for Branches and Logs

Save branches for natural plant supports. Any plant that wants to flop, let it grow up into some branches that you stuck in to the dirt. Much nicer than tomato cages. (06/25/2008)

By Kim Churchman

Uses for Branches and Logs

I'm not familiar with Hackleberry trees either, but if it is a fruit tree or the wood has a nice fragrance, there is a huge market for wood chips in the Barbecue World for smoking meat with. You might even be able to sell it on EBay if it is a desirable wood for smoking. Good luck (07/10/2008)

By Sue