Last summer's Texas drought was quit severe. Fortunately we had only smaller forest fires in our county, though the county south of us lost much. Normal rainfall is 49" a year in our area.
We have 4 acres, mostly woods with a spring fed creek on 2 sides. The uphill area has several trees which seem to have died, others which are only leafing on a few lower branches. Red oaks, dogwoods especially hit hard, white oaks, pin oaks, hickory, sweet gum, etc. The magnificent beech trees by the creek are doing fine.
We have plenty of firewood, from when my husband extended an open area for fruit trees. I told him no more tree cutting (wants to thin the woods) until we have a use for the trees.
The question is what do we do with the dead trees. I'm giving them more time to see if anything grows, as some have tiny signs of life. Most of my trees survived, so this is more like natural thinning.
Can these trees be used for mushroom logs? or would they not do so well since the trees seemed to have died?
Other uses?
Do we need to clear the dead trees in case of another drought? or can we leave them to let nature do her stuff?
