Killing Trees?

[Tree farmer]

I've found it takes a VERY long time for a tree to dry out unless it's cut up. Splitting the wood makes this happen even faster. You're far better off cutting it and splitting it ASAP. With that said, I do try felling trees a couple weeks ahead of when I'll actually be bucking them up if my schedule allows. By doing this, the tree will continue to use up as much of it's own internal moisture as possible before it completely dies (it starts the 'seasoning process for you!) So when I go to cut it up, the wood already has a little less moisture in it and it will be a little easier to move the rounds. The first two or three weeks this moisture is consumed fairly quickly (even faster when there are leafs on the tree), but after that it starts to slow down and the remaining moisture can remain for far longer than you probably want to wait.

The old timers always dropped there wood in the winter, dropped not limbed. Then in spring after the fallen tree had leafed out and leaves started to dry they would buck and split. Winter cut wood is roughly @ 60% mc and if allowed to leaf out I would surmise losing another 10 to 15% that gets you about halfway there. Girdling does work good for trees you don't want to actually burn for 5 years or so, and it will be a hell of a lot drier than summer cut wood especially if your in a pinch in the middle of winter it sure comes in handy to go drop some dry trees- Done it.