Spalting some wood....?

[Michael James]

Ok, I had to chainsaw some non turnable stuff for a dump run yesterday, and when it was moved there were critters a plenty in the moist earth. I swept it up and put it in a 5gal bucket. Then I put 3 nice pieces of wood, freshly sawn end INTO the earth and left the anchorseal side up. I wet the earth and put it in a dark spot under a pyracanthia bush where it cannot get sun.
How often should I moisten? How much? Is there anything I can add to the soil to expedite the process, and how long should it take, etc.?
All hints, tips, etc., are appreciated!
Thanx,
mj
ps-I couldn't find any threads by search. If you know...I'll look.

[David E Keller]

I think everything you need is in the dirt. I don't think you even need to bother watering it... There should be plenty of moisture in the wood itself. Depending on the kind of wood, moisture level, and temp, you will need to keep an eye on it. I'd check a piece in a month or two by cutting off the end that's planted in the soil. Spalting is a bit like life... You win some, you lose some.

[Quinn McCarthy]

Mike,

The spores that create spalting are in the air and soil. You breathe them in every day. The spores from the fungus that decays he wood will start to decay the wood. The black lines are from where one colony of fungus meets the next. They put a barrier down between the fungus colonies. Fungus thrive in Moist conditions. As soon as on open wound is created the fungus gets started. That is why the black stuff that people put on scars don't work.

Hope that helps.

Quinn
Forester by day woodworker by night.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Michael - we have a member here who is an expert in the field of spalting. Check out these threads and pay attention to what Seri Robinson has to say.

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=131849
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=138886
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=139517

[Cathy Schaewe]

MJ - sent you some links in a pm.

[Quinn McCarthy]

She had a good article in FWW magazine too.

Quinn

[Norm Zax]

The wood species has a lot to do with the success rate.

[Seri Robinson]

Everyone can thank Steve for me finding this thread...

You don't need to wet your wood - the soil and the natural wetness of outdoor wood will be just fine, especially since we're moving into the rainy time of autumn.

You don't need to add anything to the soil - all it needs is already there. If you're really hell bent on speeding things up, you could pee on it, but that's not my professional opinion and you didn't hear it from me. All I'm saying is that we have urea in a big container in the lab for a reason:D

It'll take at least 2 months, although it depends a lot on wood species, temperature, and the local fungi you have around. Whack and end off every so often and check it. And get rid of the anchorseal - you're only hurting the spalting with that. Oxygen is important.

Let us know how it turns out!




How often should I moisten? How much? Is there anything I can add to the soil to expedite the process, and how long should it take, etc.?
All hints, tips, etc., are appreciated!
Thanx,
mj
ps-I couldn't find any threads by search. If you know...I'll look.

[Michael James]

WOW legendary experts weighing in. I will get the anchorseal off the upside. The bucket is in a very discreet spot....wouldnt surprize me if some dog hiked a leg over there every now and then..... never know.
I can see this is actually quite the science... sorta like tying flies until you realize they actually want you to learn emtomology..... sheesh!

[John Shuk]

Hmmm I wonder what happens if I put a chunk in my compost tumbler.

[Paul Douglass]

If that is our dog in your avatar, doesn't look like he can reach very high. I'm anxious to here how this turns out.

[Harvey Schneider]

All I'm saying is that we have urea in a big container in the lab for a reason
I assume that the urea is just a source of nitrogen and that, for the more discreet, any nitrogen fertilizer would do.

[Richard Madden]

I want to try to induce some spalting too, but here in the midwest we are approaching the fall season and I'm wondering if it's too late to get any results this year. Just the other day I set some logs on end with oak leaves underneath and some pieces of fungi. With the coming cooler weather can spalting take place indoors, like my basement?

[John Shuk]

I once threw a small maple blank in a couple of grocery bags to keep it from cracking as I planned on turning it within a few days. It was in my basement the whole time. I came back to it some months later( I have kids nuff said) and couldn't even remember what was in the bag. It was coated with some kind of nasty mung and after I cleaned it off I saw that it was still quite wet and had spalted pretty nicely.
So I guess that the answer is yes spalting can occur in your basement.