Forest to Garden
Cedars are sometimes seen as a weedy tree, but it has the potential to
become a tree with beautiful, scented wood. Cedars actually have many
beneficial uses; the colorful wood is great for making outdoor furniture and
special wooden gifts, cedar shavings are used for pet cages to help
cover aroma. Farms have cedar fence posts because the red wood does not
rot. My husband (born and raised woodsman) was cutting quite a bit of
cedar, so I decided to utilize some of this unique wood in my garden.
The chickens were becoming kind of a nuisance, kicking the dirt out when
they scratch around for bugs. Part of the plan is that the scent of
cedar will repel some bugs, therefore, not attracting the chickens so
much, plus, it will be a barrier that keeps the dirt in. All good for
the flowers...and me, so I can avoid the frustration and enjoy the
beauty.
From scrubby bush to majestic tree
Here is a sample of a 'scrubby shrub' cedar, but years later, could
become an impressive tree with a unique wood. The average height of
Cedar depends on altitude, soil, moisture, sunlight, etc. Here in the
Midwest, in good conditions, they can grow (like the large one shown in
this photo) to over 70 feet. Unfortunately, many cedars sprout in
fencerows or pasture, becoming a weedy brush, undesirable to farmers and
landowners. If it grows in soil that is too dry, the trunk will become
hollow which renders the wood only good for shavings. We got lucky with a
harvest this year... found some large trees with high quality wood.
From magnificent tree to log
When a Cedar grows tall and straight, there's a good possibility that it
has decent quality wood. This one sure did. After topped, the log was
44 feet in length, and on the large end measured 16 inches diameter.
This is pretty rare, but it ended up being healthy, with rich, red wood.
From log to lumber 
Have you ever heard the saying about the rings in a tree telling it's
age? Just for fun, I counted the rings in this log. Counting was harder
than I thought, since these are not perfect circles, (and I kept losing
track). I counted 85, but I'm not absolutely certain- just pretty darn
close. The distance between the rings vary greatly. This means that some
years held more growth than others. Last year the drought was so bad, I
can't even make out a line. There are a few lines farther apart than
others that indicate those must have been good years.
From lumber to dust
I wish you could smell this cedar sawdust. Mmmm... indescribable. Kind
of pine, sort of sweet, nothing else but the scent of cedar. We took
some of this and put it in the chicken house for this spring's hatch. It
worked out well for keeping down the smell, as well as absorbing
moisture. Cleaning is easy, because when it's wet, it scoops nice, and
not too heavy. It is used commonly in pet cages, and as mulch. My
mother-in-law's strawberry patch loved it!
From years of growth to boards
From tree to trim
Of course, Cedar is not readily available everywhere, but practically
any wood could be used. As I mentioned, Cedar does not decay like other
wood, and being in the pine family, has oil and scent that manages to
repel pests. Any pine would work, as long as it is treated, especially
the portion that goes into the ground. The color of the Cedar is what
attracted me, also. It does turn grayish color with time, but the scent
comes thru whenever it rains. I also should mention that the length of
my flower bed is 48 feet, so there was A LOT of digging to place these.
It's a good thing that the idea paid off- looks good, frugal and
sustainable- can't ask for more.
