Lichens verses mold on Applewood

[SunshineChins]

This is my first venture into preparing Applewood. I have about 6 trees that are on a friends property here in Michigan (all are untreated).

My question is this, I do see some lichen on the larger branches which I avoid and don't bother cutting. What about just a green color on the branches (sort of reminds me of mold maybe)? Is this lichens as well? Or just something that I can scrub off? This green color in question does come off but is not raised or bumpy like lichens are. Also it is not all over the branch.

These are larger branches that I want to make perches out of. My goal is to go home with about 4 or 5 large boxes of applewood (yeah!).

I am being super paranoid about what I cut and prepare.

 

[Chinniechantel]

I would not bring anything with any green anything on it. If you have that much to choose from, why not just stay away from it?

 

[SunshineChins]

I would not bring anything with any green anything on it. If you have that much to choose from, why not just stay away from it?

Because most of the larger branches on all of the trees have some small bit of green on them. I am staying away from anything with lichens on it but am curious what can be washed off. I was amazed at how dirty tree branches are.. I never really thought about it until I saw the water after washing the smaller branches yesterday.

 

[Parkerspetchins]

I scrub the lichen off, if I still see it I don't use it, generally it all comes off...

 

[Rickman]

When I got branches a while ago, anything I didn't like I peeled off, as it was on the outside of the bark, and made sure it wasn't through to the wood. No problems. Then scrub and bake.

 

[SunshineChins]

I scrub the lichen off, if I still see it I don't use it, generally it all comes off...

Really?? Maybe I am looking at this all wrong.. I was under the impression I had to pick branches that were totally clean..:hmm: I have so much wood that I threw into the un-usable box.

I am going to take some pics to show just how paranoid I am being. lol

 

[SunshineChins]

Okay... here are some photos so you can see what I am talking about:

Here is the applewood after it has been washed,boiled and baked:

Now is the before shot,, notice how some of the pieces are a slight green?

 

[alli713]

That green looks like lichen to me. Personally I don't use the pieces that have lichen on them. Even if I scrub it off.
I might just be over protective though as some lichens are toxic and how would you know for sure if you got all of it off? I'm assuming it's got something that holds it onto the wood and I wouldn't know if I scrubbed all that off.
But it's up to you. Especially if it's for your own chins and you aren't selling it.

 

[SunshineChins]

That green looks like lichen to me. Personally I don't use the pieces that have lichen on them. Even if I scrub it off.
I might just be over protective though as some lichens are toxic and how would you know for sure if you got all of it off? I'm assuming it's got something that holds it onto the wood and I wouldn't know if I scrubbed all that off.
But it's up to you. Especially if it's for your own chins and you aren't selling it.

Thats what I thought.. I don't want to use it at all if its lichens even if it comes off,, I am just way to paranoid. My chins is what I am concerned about as this is who is going to get most of the wood.

 

[TillyChinchilla]

I'd only really be concerned about the one second from the top in the before pic. Scrubbing, boiling, and baking will take care of little spots - but I'd be more concerned with those larger ones.

 

[Eric4144]

The dark green is normal in apple bark. The light green spots look like lichen which I don't know much about and couldn't tell you which variety is harmless and which isn't. The one with the light green spots is the only one that I would throw away. I wouldn't worry about the rest to much.

 

[SunshineChins]

I have already thrown away the branch with the most green. This week when I cut more wood I am going to try to actually climb the tree and get higher up and check out what I cut more.

 

[TillyChinchilla]

I am going to try to actually climb the tree and get higher up and check out what I cut more.

Oh the things we do for our chins!

 

[SunshineChins]

I know.. I know.. I actually had a old friend of mine come up to me at a wedding shower yesterday and ask what on earth I was doing up in a tree at my friend Shelby's house. I had to give her a condensed version which was "oh... I am prunning the trees for Shelby". I can only picture her face if I had told her I what I was really going to do with the branches. LOL