Christmas tree for the smoker?

[Curly green fingers]

Hi as its the twelve day. The tree's coming down I plan to use the needles and small branches as fuel for my smoker good idea?
Mark

 

[colinc]

Not sure about the bees but some smouldering pine needles (and obviously there are different types of tree used for Christmas trees) if not very dry can be acrid and unpleasant when you breathe it in and when very dry can be very flammable so use a small quantity as a trial first? Let us know how you get on.

Assuming it’s not plastic like ours


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[Curly green fingers]

My grandad use to use pine needles and I'm getting on OK with them if used in small amounts
Otherwise you end up having a little bonfire in your smoker

 

[drex]

Some are sprayed to prevent needle drop. I wouldn't .

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Some are sprayed to prevent needle drop. I wouldn't .

 

[mbc]

Bit oily for a clean smoke.
Best use of unsprayed trees I've heard of was friends of mine accepting loads of trees from friends and neighbours to give to their goats.

 

[Curly green fingers]

Some are sprayed to prevent needle drop. I wouldn't .

My Christmas tree came out of our wood i should of said that .trees that got planted to sell spruces and Scots pines .so it should be OK
Mark

 

[pargyle]

Very resinous - that's why they burn so readily on a bonfire and crackle like mad. I think you will find the smoke is very thin and tarry - will almost certainly bung up your smoker. I've tried pine shavings ... only once, never again. I tend to use hardwood shavings and sawdust from my woodturning. Work very well, nice sweet smoke and it stays lit. Having said that - I very rarely use it on my bees ... a little if they need to be moved off the top bars in order to get the crown board on and even then not directly at them - just a waft or two above the hive.

I've seen beekeepers on youtube smoking their bees to the point where, if they were herrings, they would be kippers by the time they'd finished. Totally unnecessary.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Yep. Pargyle is right.
Very tarry smoke.
I wouldn’t use it.

 

[Karsal]

Hi as its the twelve day. The tree's coming down I plan to use the needles and small branches as fuel for my smoker good idea?
Mark

Christmas trees are usually treated with a spray to stop them dropping needles.
I've tried most things in my smoker but the best and cheapest so far are old cotton terry towels. Just cut some up and light them in your smoker and close the lid. They smolder for absolutely ages and cost very little.